


SKETCH 



OF THE 



LIFE AND CHARACTER 



OP 



JOHIsr L^CEY, 



Brigadier General in the Revolutionary Army. 



BY 



y^, Y- f^- PAVIS, ^. JA. 




PRINTED PRIVATELY. 



1 868. 



"ithh M^Uh 



DLSTINaUISIIED REVOLUTIONARY HERO 

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 

TO HIS DESCENDANTS. 



P» R E F ^V C E . 



The following sketch of the life and character of 
General John Lacey was written a few years ago for 
a popular magazine of the day. The most material 
facts were taken from the General's papers which fell 
into the hands of his son-in-law, the late distinguished 
Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, Pennsyl- 
vania. It is now printed in book-form, at the instance 
of some of my literary friends, who are kind and par- 
tial enough to believe that it is of sufficient interest 
to be placed in a shape that will be more likely to 
preserve it than the pages of a magazine. I claim no 
merit for the sketch other than being a truthful memoir 
of one of those grand old patriots who fought to estab- 
lish constitutional liberty in the United States, 

W. W. H. BAYm. 

DoijUstown,, Pa., Aayust, 1868, 



LIFE AND CHARACTEK 

OF 

JOHN LACEY, 

CHAPTER J. 



jOHN LACEY, a captain in the Continental 
Armjs and a brigadier-general in the militia of 
Pennsylvania, dnring the war of the American Revo- 
Intion, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania. 
He was born in the township of Buckingham, on the 
fourth day of February, in the year 1755,* and made 

NoTM.— The date of General Lacey's birth, as given above, has been called in 
question. Three years ago Thomas Warner, of Bucks county, addressed the fol- 
lowing letter to the author on the subject of " The Lacey Family," and published 
in the Doylestown Democrat, which is considered of sufilcient interest to be in- 
serted entire ; — 

Died in Wrightstown, on the 16th of 1st month, 1866, Benjamin Lacey, a much 
respected citizen, in the Vlst year of his age. 

Perhaps it will not be inappropriate, at this time and in this place, to give a 
little account of the Lacey family. Their primogenial ancestor here was William 
Lacey. He emigrated from England, we believe from the Isle of Wight, and 
was among the early settlers in the neighborhood of Wrightstown. His son 
John married Kachel TIestou in 1718. Prom this connection there were eleven 
children, four or five of whom died in their minority. Only three of the whole 
number married, namely : Rachel, to John Terry, in 1738 ; .John to Jane Chap- 
man, 17-lG; and Joseph to Esther Warner, in IT-W fir 1750. 



S LIFI^ AND CHAUACTEK OF JOHN LACEV. 

t]ie place of his nativity his home, until near the close 
of the war, when he removed to the State of New 
Jersey. His ancestors were followers of the great and 
good Penn, and educated in the strict tenets of the So- 
ciety of Friends. They came among the first settlers, 
who followed the fortunes of the founder of Pennsyl- 
vania, to the New World, and took up their abode in 
Bucks county. He was the son of John and Jane 
Lacey, and the grandson of John and Rachel Lacey. 
His paternal great-grandfather emigrated from the Isle 
of Wight, England ; and his grandmother, whose name 
was Heston, was a native of New England, whence 
her family removed to Bocks county at an eai'ly day. 
His mother was the daughter of Abraham and Susan 

Johu Lacey and Jane Chapman had eight children— and inasmuch as one of 
them became a noted man in his day and generation, perhaps it will be as well 
to mention that there is a register of the family, among the records of births and 
deaths kept at Wrightstown. A copy thereof, verliatim et liUratum, is as follows : 

Rachel Lacey, daughter of John and Jane, born 15th of 9 mo., 1747; Susanna 
Lacey, daughter of John and Jane, bom 19lh of 2 mo., 1750; John Lacey, son of 
John and Jane, born 4th of 12 mo., 1752; Abraham Lacey, son of John and Jane, 
born 4th of 1 mo., 1754; James Lacey, sou of John and Jane, born 11th of 8 mo., 
1756; Benjamin Lacey, son of Johu and Jane, born 23d of 7 mo., 1758; Elizabeth 
Lacey, daughter of John and Jane, born 4th of l?th mo., 1760; Wm. Lacey, son 
of John and Jane, born 9th of 2 mo., 1765. 0( the above, Rachel died 16th of 6th 
mo., 1700: Abraham, 28th of 10th mo., 1764, and James on the 29lh of 10th mo., 
1759. 

The paramount object in presenting this record here is to show the time when 
•John Lacey, jr., was born, who afterward became General Lacey, of Revolution- 
ary memory. Historians, in referring to this matter, have fixed upon a difi'crent 
period. They have it that General Lacey was born on the 4th day of February, 
1755. The writer had some correspondence with Dr. Darlington, his son-in-law, 
on this subject, in 1862. He stated that he had the popular time of General 
Lacey's birth from himself, which was in 1755, and presumed it was authentic 

We apprehend It is a very singnlar circumstance that there should be such a 
disparity between the two accounts. Instead of harmonizing, as they ought to, 
there is a difference of two year* and two months between them. Perhaps this 
is the first time this matter has been noticed in a public manner. It is something 
for the historian as well as the antiquarian to think of. Such a discrepancy as 
this will be likely to puzzlo them a little, for it seems to be ii rcc oacilable. 



LIFE x\ND CHAliACTEK OP JOHN LACEY. 9 

Chapman; and his maternal o-randmother was an Olden 
of New Jersey. The ancestors of this distinguished 
man were all farmers, and he was proud, up to the 
very day of his death, in being the descendant of such 
a reputable and useful class of people ; and, in accord- 
ance with the mild doctrines of him to whom they 
looked up, as "Prophet, Priest and King," were 
opposed to all wars and rumors of wars. Oppression 
drove them from their pleasant homes and fertile fields 
in England, to seek an asylum in a strange land, and 
when they set up their altars in this new-found prom- 
ised land, they discountenanced strife and contention 
of every kind. 

At that day the Society of Friends, in whose " faith 

General Lacey married Anastasia Reynolds, daughter of Col. Thomas Rey- 
nolds, of Burlington county, New Jersey, and had one son, Thomas R., and three 
•daughters, Eliza Bud, Kitty Reynolds, and Jane Chapman Lacey. Eliza Bud 
married William L. Smith, in ISOO ; Kitty R., Dr. Darlington, in 180T ; and Jane 
C, Jonathan Hough, in 1814. 

The only son of General Lacey, Thomas R., is now living in Burlington, New 
■Jersey, and will be 79 years old on the 17th of this month. He has, or had two 
daughters, but only one sou, William N, Lacey, who has two boys, John and 
William, 

Joseph Lacey and Esther Warner, though they had eight •children, there is 
now, since the decease of Benjamin, (noticed at the beginning of this article,) 
■only three survivors of the name among their descendants. 

Of the brothers and sisters of John Lacey, ^commonly called General Lacey,) 
but very little seems to be known. They all left the place of their nativity .and 
went to a more southern latitude. William and Susanna removed to and settled 
in the State of Georgia. Elizabeth married and settled in the neighborhood of 
the city of Washington ; Benjamin also married and settled in Georgetown, in 
the District of Columbia. He lefi two sons— Charles, who died a lieutenant in 
the navy, and John, who settled in or near Washington. 

The Lacey family was once quite numerous in this section of country ; but 
instead of going on increasing with every generation, they have been diminish- 
ing. But seven of the name are now living that we have any certain knowledge 
of, and these have been previously mentioned- Unfess the name is perpetuated 
by some of the number who now are, it will be likely to run out in the course of 
another generation. T. W, 

WrighUtown, 2d mo. \t<t, 186*5. 

2 



10 LIFE AND CHAliACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 

aiid practice" joniig- Lacey was reared, took but little 
pains in the education of their children, deeming it 
amply sufticient for every purpose of life if they could 
read and write their native tongue. His parents being 
of this class, and having but a limited education them- 
selves, did not see the necessity and advantage of 
learning, and thought their son fitted to make his 
way in the world with the same amount of information 
they possessed. For this error of judgment he was a 
sore suflerer in after years. Under these circumstances 
he enjoyed but very limited advantages of education. 
He was early sent to such schools as there were in the 
neighborhood, but they afforded very slight opportu- 
nity for the acquisition of knowledge. He has left 
upon record that the teacher of the school he went to 
could neither read nor write correctly, and knew not 
the meaning of grammar ; and that in the neighbor- 
hood in which his father's family resided, the only 
books allowed to be used in the schools were the Bible, 
the Testament, and Dilworth's Spelling-book. These 
books, it must be admitted, were not very well calcu- 
lated to advance his literary pursuits ; and that a boy, 
educated in such seminaries of learning, would not be 
very well prepared to discharge the duties of life. 

Young Lacey was kept at these schools until he 
was thirteen or fourteen years of age, when his father 
considered his education finished, and set him at 
work; being employed on the farm, in the saw or 
grist-mill, or in the cooper's sliop. He was not un- 
mindful of the disadvantages he labored under, in 
point of education, and after he left school endeavored 



LIFE AND CllAKACTKU OF JullN l.ACEV. 11 

to remedy them as much as possible, by reading and 
private study. He spent most of his leisure moments 
from work in reading such books as he could borrow- 
in the neighborhood ; and in the mill, while attending 
to his work, would often have his favorite author in 
his hand, and would devote every leism*e moment 
to its perusal. In this manner, by constant persever- 
ance and application, he was enabled, in some manner, 
to overcome the disadvantages of his youth ; but in 
after life, when called to lill stations of honor and 
responsibility in the service of his country, he felt very 
sensibly the defect in his early training, and deplored, 
with deep regret, the misfortune. His experience 
should be a warning to parents, of the present day, 
not to neglect the education of their children, when 
the means of ac(iuiring knowledge are within the reacli 
of eveiy one, and to be had almost " without money 
and without price." In this country, where every 
avenue is open to all, and the son of the humblest 
citizen may be called to till the highest station under 
the constitution, education is of the first importance. 
It then becomes the duty of every parent to educate 
his children in such a manner, that they will he able 
to discharge all the duties which may devolve upon 
them in after life. 

For some years, the youth of General Lacey was 
spent without any occurence of note to mark his his- 
tory. His time was principally divided between the 
farm, the mills, and the cooper's shop, reading and 
study in his leisure moments, and now and then taking 
half a day for a fox-hunt. Thus life, with him, moved 



12 LIFE AND CHAKACTEH OF JOHN LACEY. 

smoothly on, knowing but little of the great world 
beyond the narrow limits in which he " lived, moved, 
and had his being," until the month of July, 1773, 
when an event occurred which somewhat changed his^ 
course of life. He had had, heretofore, frequent 
longings for a peep into the outside world, but no op- 
portunity offered for the gratification of his desires ; 
but now the time seemed at hand, when he could 
realize his wishes. At the monthly meeting, held that 
year, in July, at the Wrightstown Meeting House, hi& 
nncle Zehulon Heston, who was a preacher among the 
Friends, stated he had had a call to make a missionary 
visit to the Delaware Indians, then settled on the Ohio 
river, and asked permission to make the pilgrimage, 
with a recommendation to the " Meeting for Suffer- 
ings, of Friends in the city of Philadelphia." Llr- 
Heston was now an old man of 70 years, and in his. 
youth had been on terms of close intimacy with many 
of the young men of this tribe, who then lived along; 
the Delaware in Bucks county, which accounts, in 
some degree, for his great anxiety to visit them. 
Young Lacey was present at the meeting that day, 
and when he heard his uncle make his proposition, it 
appeared to him to be a good opportunity to see the 
country, and he made up Iris mind to try and obtain 
permission to accompany him. So, when the meeting 
was out, he waited mpon his uncle, and proposed him- 
self as a companion on his journey, giving as the reason 
for wishing to go with him, that he was old and infirm, 
and would want some assistance on the way. His 
uncle appeared pleased with the offer, and the next 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LAe:EY. V^ 

day spoke to his parents about it, who gave their 
consent for their son to accompany him. His name 
was inchided in the certificate of the Wrightstown 
Meeting, and all things being in readiness, they set off 
on their journey, and reached Philadelphia the same 
day. Here his uncle transacted the necessary business 
with the " Sufferings Meeting," and on the 9th they 
commenced their journey for Pittsburg, being accom- 
panied by John Parish, a pious Friend, in whose hands 
was placed a sum of money for their expenses, and also 
to purchase a few presents for the Indians. 

They reached Pittsburg on the evening of the 18th — 
nothing worthy of note occurring on the way. They 
traveled the whole distance on horse-back, crossing 
mountains, fording rivers, and suffering a good deal 
from exposure. The roads were so bad as to be 
wholly impassable for wagons, and all the goods then 
taken west had to be carried on pack-horses, of which 
they met a large number on the way. The new scenes 
that young Lacey saw on the journey, struck him with 
astonishment, and he says, afforded him " much for 
contemplation." They remained in Pittsburg two 
days, and left on the 20th for the Indian town of 
Newcomer's-Town, situated on the Muskingum river. 
They crossed the Allegheny river in canoes, swimming 
their horses, and set off through the wilderness, to the 
North West. They were accompanied, as guides, by 
John Gibson, an Indian Trader, and Captain White- 
Eyes, an Indian chief. They reached Newcomer's- 
Town on the 25th, and were received in the most 
friendly and cordial manner by the king, Ne-tcnc-Aele- 



14 LIFE AND CllAKACTER OF JolIN LAC'EY. 

mon. The king immediately called a meeting of the 
sachems or chiefs at his palace, when the visitors had 
a formal presentation to the great men of his tribe, 
after which they were assigned to their quarters. On 
the 28th, the nation assembled in the great council- 
house, when Messrs. Heston and Parish presented 
their credentials from the meeting in Wrightstown 
and the meeting of Sufferings in Philadelphia. These 
were interpreted to the Indians, after which Mr. Hes- 
ton made a prayer and proceeded to address the 
assembly, every word of which was explained to the 
Indian listeners. Captain White-Eyes also made a 
speech and delivered a belt of wampum to the visitors, 
in token of their friendship and good-will. They re- 
mained several days at Newcomer's-Town, during 
which time the missionaries held frequent meetings for 
religious worship, which the Indians freely attended, 
and behaved with decorum. During this time Lacey 
was not idle. He was a close observer of every thing 
he saw and heard around him — he mixed freely among 
the Indians, and learned as much as possible of their 
manners and customs. He kept a journal, in which 
he noted down every thing of interest that came under 
his notice, and by this means carried home with him 
a large fund of knowledge, which, at that day, could 
not have been obtained from any other source. Hav- 
ing concluded the object of their mission, they set out 
on their journey home by way of Virginia. Young 
Lacey reached his father's house on the 14th of Sep- 
tember, having traveled upward of one thousand miles, 
and been absent two months and seven davs. 



LIFE AND (CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 15 

Tlie following interesting abstract from his journal, 
we copy entire, as it will throw some new light npon 
the manners and customs of the aboriginal inhabitants 
not generally known, and which I have never seen 
recorded elsewhere. He says: — 

"After we had been presented to the king and 
council, we were conducted to an empty log house or 
cabin — such as are made by colliers, at iron-works — 
covered with palisades and bark. There were three 
berths erected in it, on crotches set in the ground ; on 
each was spread, or laid, a course of split plank or 
palisades, wide enough for two persons to lie on. On 
these planks were spread one or more deer or bear 
skins, for beds. No floor but the bare earth was in 
this house, and many others in the town. Indeed few 
only had floors, and these, I believe, were confined to 
the nobility alone ; none others, that I saw, had any 
boards in them. The king's and Kill-buck's were 
tolerably well furnished, and their bed-rooms were up 
stairs. The skins, however, made comfortable beds, 
and we could not complain of our lodgings. Between 
sunset and dark, our habitation was sm"rounded by 
a large number of (some twenty to thirty) young Indian 
girls, dressed in their best apparel, who kept up an 
almost incessant serenade on jews-harps. Although 
Quakers, neither my friends nor myself showed any 
signs of disapprobation. If we had, we should have 
been obliged to let them play on. They would ap- 
proach the door, but venture no farther. We all 
supposed that their design was a mere compliment, an 
honor conferred on us as friends and strano-ers, and 



16 LIFE AND CHAKACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

took no further notice than apparently to be pleased 
with their music, which continued night after night, 
for nearly the whole of the first week of our residence. 
Two white men, traders — John Freeman, and James 
Forbes — had a store of goods in this town— with whom 
I made an early acquaintance, and was often invited 
to dine and sup with them. On the second or third 
day of our residence, while at dinner. Freeman asked 
me if I did not observe the Indian girls playing on 
jews-harps, at our lodgings, and asked if I knew their 
meaning. I answered in the affirmative, and that I 
supposed it was out of compliment. He said it was a 
custom when a stranger comes to reside at the town, 
for ever so short a time, the girls, or single women, 
present themselves in that way, in token of their wil- 
lingness to enter into a contract for such time as his 
business required his stay there ; during which they 
acted as housekeeper, and performed every necessary 
service, in the care of your baggage or goods, cooked, 
washed, and conducted in all things with punctuality, 
honesty and care, as well of your person as goods ; 
that if you were in danger of insult, they would give 
you the earliest notice — and in that respect they were 
sometimes peculiarly useful; no part of their contract 
would be neglected, but in all things they would per- 
form their duty as a good housewife ought to do. 
You must pay for all these services, in money or cloth- 
ing, according to your agreement. 

" Being thus master of this secret — of which I knew 
my companions to be ignorant — I could not refrain 
from laughter at the simple credulity of my uncle, and 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 17 

iFriend Parish, who seemed to be tickled and exhilir- 
ated with the young squaws' music, as they crowded 
the threshold of their habitation. Although they 
would crowd and jostle each other for the possession 
of the door, they did not venture into our apartment. 
After some time, finding their music to have made no 
impression upon us, and that we were not inclined to 
accept their services, they disappeared, which my com- 
panions seemed really to regret — sorrowfully saying 
they believed the girls had got tired of them, which I 
have no doubt was really the case. 

" I believe this custom to be not only hcensed, but 
approved and encouraged by the chiefs of the nation, 
as I observed Captain Kill-buck's daughter, with her 
harp, among the crowd, and one of the foremost to 
approach the door. She had a sprightly, innocent 
countenance, and a fine person. The numbei- of in- 
habitants, according to Captain Kill-buck's account, 
amounts to upward of three hundred, at this town ; and 
their young men — which they counted as warriors — 
upward of one hundred. " 

On his return home, Mr. Lacey again commenced 
work at his former occupations, his father giving him 
the principal care and management of the mill. In 
this manner we find him engaged until the spring of 
1775, when the difficulties between Great Britain and 
her then colonies had assumed an alarming aspect, and 
foreboded open rupture. As the difficulties waxed 
warmer and warmer, the people began to take sides 
and array themselves for or against the mother coun- 
try. From the first, Mr, Lacey had been a close 
3 



18 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 

reader of the various publications, and observer of tlie 
occurrences which took place, and w^as induced to 
believe the claims of Great Britain unjust and cruel. 
Hence, from the beginning he was an ardent patriot, 
and espoused the cause of his country with all the en- 
thusiasm his nature was capable of; and he defended 
the cause of the struggling infant colonies with so 
mu(3h zeal and ability, as soon to draw upon himself 
the notice of the neighborhood in wliich he lived. 
His non-resistance principles, in which he had been 
trained from his early youth, and taught to consider 
the very acme of his faith and practice, were scattered 
to the wind, and he announced his determination to 
enroll himself under the banner of his country, and 
assist in her defense. In this lesolution it was his 
misfortune to differ with his family and most of his 
relations and friends, v/hich, with many, caused a 
breach that was never healed in future years. A ma- 
jority of the religious sect to which he belonged took 
the side of the mother country, and were anxious that 
his assistance should be given to the same cause ; but 
he was fiir too indignant at the conduct of Great Bri- 
tain to take sides against the land of his birth. Every 
other consideration was lost sight of but his love of 
country, and the duty he owed to her and posterity ; 
and he was determined, at all liazards, to devote his 
service to the cause of liberty. His feelings were 
manly, just, and patriotic, and ho knew no other course 
than to follow in the path of duty. This path- he took 
and it led him on to usefulness and glory. 

When tlu^ dithcultics assumed the asjHH't (nf open bus- 



LIFE AND C1IA11AC:TKU OF JOHN LACEY. 19 

tilities, we find Mr. Lacey one of the first in the field. 
As early as July, 1775, he was chosen the " Standard 
Bearer'''' in the second battalion of the Bucks county 
militia. About the same time, the young men of the 
neighborhood, fired with patriotism, formed them- 
selves into a volunteer company in order to learn the 
use of arms and be in a better condition to serve their 
country. Many of them, like himself, were members 
of the society of Friends, and took this step in direct 
opposition to the known wishes of their parents and 
friends. Mr. Lacey was elected their captain, which 
was a well-merited compliment to his activity in the 
cause of his country, and which at this early day made 
him a "man of mark" in the neighborhood where he 
was best known. But now came a trying time to the 
young Quaker captain, and his patriotism had to pass 
through a severe ordeal. His company was no sooner 
organized, and he had hardly yet had an opportunity 
to make a bow to Mai's, when the Friends' Meeting 
took the matter in hand, and used their most strenu- 
ous exertions to break up the organization. Those of 
the "Manor Born," were warned of the path of sin 
they were treading in, and recalled back into the fold. 
They all obeyed the summons except Lacey who re- 
mained true to his colors ; and seeing that he was 
more stubborn than the rest, and still persisted in his 
new calKng, the society took harsher means with him. 
Although he was proof against all their j)ersuasions 
and ajJpeals, they did not dream that he dare resist the 
ofiicial power of the church, and therefore they thought 
to frighten him back to what they considei'ed his dutv, 



20 LIFE AND CH AH ACTEi; UF JOHN I-ACEY. 

l)j reuding him out of meeting. But they httle knew 
the man with whom they had to doaL He was, there- 
fore, in due manner and form excommunicated and 
declared to be without tlie pale of the church of his 
fathers. The following Fnendly Bull was issued upon 
the occasion : 

"Whereas, John Lacey, Junr., hath had his birth 
and education amongst Friends, but hath so far devi- 
ated from the principles of Friends as to learn the art 
of war, and having been treated with on that account, 
but not coming to a sense of his error, we give forth 
this testament against such practice, and can have no 
further unity with him as a member of our society^ 
nntil he comes to a sense of his misconduct and con- 
demns the same to the satisfaction of Friends, which 
that he may do is our sincere desire for him. 

(Signed) "Jos. Chapman, d'k." 

Resistance to this proceeding was a severe trial. 
He was strongly attached to the society of Friends ; 
in its mild and peaceful tenets he had been reared and 
educated — his earliest and dearest affections and asso- 
ciations were connected with it, and he had been 
taught to yield a ready obedience to all the require- 
ments of the society ; it had been the faith of his 
fathers for generations, and under these circumstances 
it required no ordinary effort to tear asunder these ties, 
and place himself in hostile opposition to his family 
and friends. His heart was torn with conflicting emo- 
tions, but in the emergency he acted promptly, and as 
became a hero and a man. The patliM' ay of duty was 
too -plainly marked out before him to hesitate and 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JoHN LACEY. 21 

falter. The call of patriotism was louder than that of 
sect, and his duty to his country was more urgent than 
obedience to churchly creeds. He acted a noble part 
upon this trying occasion, and this single circumstance 
shows him to have been a young man of much more 
than ordinary nerve and capacity. A man of less firm- 
ness and ability would have given way under the 
pressure that w^as made upon him, but nothing could 
shake his indomitable resolution, or cause him to turn 
aside from what he believed to be right. All honor is 
due him for the course he took, and his devotion to 
the cause was soon rewarded by his admiring country. 
He has left behind him the following record of his own 
feelings in reference to the course he took, and which 
contains so much high-souled patriotism that we can- 
not forbear to insert it at length. He says :- — • 

" I alone stood the ordeal of the Quaker Society — 
of which I was then a member. Moved by an irre- 
sistible impulse to espouse the cause of the colonies 
—to support the liberty, the independence, and the 
political safety of my native country against the strong 
arm of British oppression ; and offering upon the altar 
of the public weal, the sacrifice of my private interest 
and social felicity — my career was not to be controlled. 
The recital of dangers only increased my ardor. Thus 
wound up in the political enthusiasm of the times, to 
be inactive was to me an intolerable biirthen, wdiich 
at that period I could not brook, and thus my ardor 
led me to accept a captain's commission in the troops 
to be raised to oppose the British army, then in pos- 
session of Boston. " 



22 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

Ill the autumn of 1775, tlie Committee of Safety of 
Pennsylvania, on the call of the Congress then as- 
sembled in Philadelphia, issued orders for the raising 
of six regiments of troops, as her quota for the Conti- 
nental Army then being formed for the defense of the 
colonies. Mr. Lacey was commissioned a captain in 
one of the Pennsylvania regiments, on the 5th day of 
January, 177G. He received his recruiting orders on 
the 20th of the same month, and although the winter 
was very cold, he set about raising his company with 
great zeal, and such was his activity and good fortune, 
that by the 12th day of February he had enlisted his 
complement of eighty-five men, and was ready to 
march to the scene of action. His company was made 
up principally of young men in his own neighborhood, 
farmers' sons, whom he had always known, and who 
had every conlidence in him. His is said to have 
been one of the finest-looking companies in the Penn- 
sylvania line, and was attached to the 4th Pennsyl- 
vania regiment, commanded by Colonel Anthony 
Wayne. Captain Lacey, with his company, marched 
for Chester, on the Delaware river, on the 12th, by 
order of the colonel. They reached Darby on the 
14th, where they were quartered on the inhabitants. 
They remained here until the 21st of March, when 
they were marched to Chester, where they drew their 
arms the next day. The regiment, which was now 
all assembled at this place, was ordered to New York. 
They embarked in shallops for Trenton, from which 
place they marched overland to their place of destina- 
tion, Avhere they arrived on the 28th. Sucli ^vas the 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OE JOHN LACEY. 23 

energy displayed by Captain Lacey in his new sphere 
of duty, that he had his company uniformed before any 
other one in the regiment, and being first ready to 
march, was sent on in advance of the other companies, 
whicli were to follow as they should be equipped. 
When they arrived in New York they were quartered 
in some empty houses on Broadway, which had been 
vacated by the owners in consequence of the rumored 
approach of the enemy. Here they remained until 
the 14th of April, when, on the arrival of Captain 
Robinson's company, they were encamped on Long 
Island, under the command of Major Houseker, who 
had also joined them. The remaining companies of 
the regiment soon after joined the camp, and on the 
27th of April Col. Wayne arrived in New York and 
assumed the command. Captain Lacey at this time 
thus describes the uniform of his company : " Our 
regimental coats were deep blue faced with white, 
white vests, and overalls, edged with blue cloth ; a 
very beautful uniform, but on experience was found 
much better adapted for parade than utility in the 
hardships of a camp, as it too easily became soiled and 
was hard to clean." 

Immediately upon the arrival of Colonel Wayne at 
the camp on Long Island, he ordered Captain Lacey 
to return to Darby and settle the men's board, while 
they were quartered there, and a part of which it 
appeared had remained unpaid. He returned and 
arranged the matter to the entire satisfaction of those 
interested, and immediately retraced his steps to New 
Yoi'k to join lii;^ regiment. In thn incantinu\ on the 



24 LIFE AND CHAltACTEI? OF JOHN LACF.Y. 

27th of April, an order was issued by tlie commander- 
in-chief for six more regiments to march for Canada, 
and join the troops already sent in that direction. 
They were at once got ready, and embarked and sailed 
up the river for Albany. Captain Lacey reached camp 
on the 11th of May, and found that live companies of 
his regiment, among which was his own, had gone to 
Canada, the balance remaining in camp under the 
command of Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston and Major 
Houseker. Lacey's company had been given to Cap- 
tain Moore, who was a great pet of Colonel Wayne, 
and Moore's, which was unarmed, was left behind 
with orders for Lacey to take charge of it until he 
should join his regiment. Captain Lacey felt himself 
justly aggrieved at this procedure, and laid his com- 
plaint before the general officer who commanded on 
Long Island. He directed Lieutenant-Colonel John- 
ston to send Captain Lacey to overtake his company, 
with a letter to Colonel Wayne explaining the reason 
of his being in advance of the balance of the regiment. 
He embarked immediately at New York in a vessel for 
Albany, in company wdth several other officers who 
were going to join their regiments, and reached the 
army on the 30th, encamped on the east side of Lake 
Champlain, about half way between Crown Point and 
St. John's. He presented himself at Colonel Wayne's 
quarters, and reported for duty with his company; 
but Wayne refused to allow him to take command of 
it until at such time as Moore's should arrive ; he was 
to continue his rank, and act as a volunteer in the 
meantime. AlthoiiLdi sorolv diaoTiiuMl at this unjust 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 26 

treatment from Colonel Wayne, Captain Lacey, like a 
good soldier and true patriot, resolved to be of all the 
service lie could ; lie even overlooked wrong for the 
sake of his country. 

On the 31st of May the troops embarked and sailed 
down Lake Champlain in about two hundred vessels 
of various kinds. The tents were used for sails ; 
Colonel Wayne's division leading the van. Thus, with 
a fair wind they moved in beautiful array over the 
smooth surface of the lake, toward St. John's, where 
they arrived the same day, after dark. The troops 
encamped at the head of the river Sorel, aljout sixteen 
miles below the Isle aux Noix. They remained here 
until the 3d of June, when they marched by land to 
Charablee, except a few men who went with the boats 
to conduct them safely down the rapids. As soon as 
the boats had arrived, they again embarked and sailed 
down the river to its junction with the St. Lawrence, 
where the army encamped on the bank of the river. 
Notwithstanding the misunderstanding that had taken 
place between Colonel Wayne and Captain Lacey, the 
former sent the latter, while they lay at Sorel, the 
following invitation to dinner, which is inserted more 
as a matter of curiosity than from any other cause : 

" Col. Wayne's best compliments wait on Capt. 
Lacey, and begs the favor of his dining mth him on a 
roasted pig, at 2 o'clock this afternoon, by the edge of 
the woods. 

"To Captain Lacey, Present." 

Under the circumstances, this seemed very much 
like endeavoring to heal up the wounded honor of 
4 



2G LIFE AX I) CIIAL'AlTEK OF .foIlX LACFV, 

Captain Laccy with a good dinner ; but lie did not 
feel at liberty to decline, and lience Captain Lacey 
politely accepted the invitation, and particularly as an 
opportunity to dine on "roasted pig" was not of 
e very-day occurrence. 

On the 5th of June Captain Lacey was sent for by 
General Sullivan, and ordered to carry dispatches to 
General Arnold at Montreal, an account of which trip 
we will relate in his own words. 

"A post-chaise, or rather a common chaise, without 
a top, (what they call in Canada a calash,) stood at the 
door of the generars quarters, the letters were handed 
to me by one of the general's aids, with some hard 
money to pay the drivers at the end of each stage, and 
some verbal directions how to proceed. I instantly 
jumped into the vehicle, to which was geared a small 
chunk of a horse, and the coachman drove off in full 
speed up the east side of the Sorel river. We left 
head-quarters about 4 o'clock, p. inl, and after two 
changes arrived within six miles of Chamblee, having 
traveled all night, crossed the river in a boat, pursued 
my course on foot to La Prairie, came to Montreal 
about 12 o'clock, and delivered my letters to General 
Arnold, with whom I dined. In passing up the river 
Sorel I had an agreeable and fine prospect of the adja- 
cent country. On the margin of the river, and as far 
back into the country as I could see, the soil appeared 
to be a sandy loam, and very fertile. The banks, and 
for some distance (as far as I could see) the land, 
lay a considerable height above the water, l)ut very 
level. Some of my drivers could sjicak Englisk 



LIFE AND CllAKACTElJ OF JOHN LACEY. '2 { 

They informed me that back from the river there was 
a great body of swamps, or marshy ground, and the 
country uninhabited. Along the bank and margin of 
the river, the villages seem to unite with each other, 
so that it might almost be said to be a string of vil- 
lages from the Chamblee to the mouth or junction of 
the KSorel with the river St. Lawrence. At every 
cross-road, or vicinity of a church — of which there 
appeared not a few — was erected a cross or crucifix, 
attached to a large post fixed in the ground. As we 
passed each, my driver never failed to pull off his hat 
and make a low bow, as he sat in our calash, turning 
liis face toward it, and muttering at the same time 
a few^ words in French, wdiich I did not understand. 
I could not help reflecting on the force of prejudice 
and education, on seeing these poor, ignorant Cana- 
dians so very attentive and exact in their devotion to 
those inanimate posts of wood. 

"About 4 o'clock the same day, June 6th, I received 
other letters from General Arnold to General Sullivan, 
at the Sorel. The General ordered five men to ac- 
company me in a large canoe. We hoisted a blanket 
for a sail, and had a fine, fair and easy wind down the 
river, until we came off La Prairie, where w^e were 
overtaken by a squall of wind and rain. We steered 
for the shore, expecting every moment to be overset, 
the waves ran very high ; we were afraid to take down 
our sail, and kept nearly before the wind, so as to 
make the first land in our course. Luckily, we made 
out to reach the land, but the instant our canoe struck 
she sunk. Fortimatclv for us, the M-ater l)einir slioaL 



28 LIFE AND CHAKACTEI! OF JOHN LACEY. 

we reached the shore in safet^y. Being thus cast away,, 
in an enemy's country, we conceived it unsafe to apply 
to the inhabitants for assistance. As none of us could 
speak a word of French, even if they were disposed to 
assist us, we could not make them understand what 
we wanted. Providentially, however, we discovered 
a batteaux on the shore, near the place Avliere we had 
landed, which we supposed had been either found 
adrift or stolen, and drawn up out of the water. It 
proved to be a good one, with four oars in it. After 
considerable efforts w^e launched it into the river, the 
wind and storm abating, we got under way, although 
the waves were still greatly agitated, and our new 
vessel very leaky, and continued our course down the 
river all night. In the morning the w4nd shifted, 
being ahead, we had hard rowing. Having no pro- 
visions with us, we landed on one of the islands, with 
which the St. Lawrence abounds ; got plenty of bread 
and milk of one of the inhabitants — to whom I offered 
paper money — but the mistress of the house, (the man 
not appearing,) refused to take it, saying ''no honne.'^ 
I then paid her in specie, when she seemed to be quite 
overjoyed, brought us more bread and milk, and, as 
well as she could, invited u-s to eat. We re-entered our 
boat, and after hard rowing reached the mouth of the 
Sorel river about 10 o'clock, and delivered my letters 
to General Sullivan. I had set out precisely at 4 
o'clock, P. M., on the 5th went to Montreal, said to be 
45 miles and more by land ; delivered dispatches to 
General Arnold, received others from him, and re- 
turned to Sullivan's head-quarters, at the mouth of the 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JuHN LACEY. 



29 



Sorel, by 10 o'clock, A. m., of the 7th ; havino; per- 
formed the journey in less than two days, and traveling 
on foot from the river Sorel near Chamblee to La 
Prairie, opposite Montreal, on the south side of the 
river St. Lawrence, about 15 miles. The road, from 
the Sorel to La Prairie, was tolerably good, but 
swampy and causewayed in many places ; here and 
there a habitation and improvement, the people ap- 
pearing to live very poor, the land level, and broken 
by the swamps. Those parts above the water appeared 
fertile and very natural to grass, producing also straw- 
berries in abundance." 

On the return of Captain Lacey to the camp at 
Sorel, he found the Pennsylvania troops had gone 
down the St. Lawrence to Three Rivers, to reinforce 
General Thompson and Colonel St. Clair. General 
SulHvan complimented him highly for the manner in 
which he had executed his mission to General Arnold, 
and desired him to remain with him at the Sorel until 
he joined the army below, which he expected to do in 
a few days. The British had erected strong works at 
the Three Elvers, which the Americans intended to 
surprise and capture. The attempt was made on the 
8th of June, which failed, and our troops suffered a 
heavy loss, besides being much disorganized in the 
retreat. In this attack General Thompson and Colonel 
Irvine of the 6th Pennsylvania regiment were made 
prisoners. On the 10th, General Sullivan ordered 
Captain Lacey, with a party of ten men and one officer, 
to proceed down the St. Lawrence until they should 
meet the retreating armv, and show them the way to 



'W LIFE xVND CHAUACTEll OF JuHN LACEV. 

camp, which thej did not all reach until the evening 
of the next day. In this engagement Captain Lacey's 
company lost seventeen men, most of whom were 
captured. 

A council of war was held at head-quarters on the 
night of the 13th, when it w^as deemed advisable to 
evacuate Canada, concentrate the American army at 
Ticonderoga, and there make a stand against the ap- 
proach of the British. The movement was begun on 
the morning of the 14tli ; the army marching up the 
river by land, and the baggage and military stores 
being transported in batteaux by water, after a most 
laborious and fatiguing time the army and baggage 
reached the Isla aux Noix, and encamped there on the 
19th. The sick and invalids w^ere sent off in batteaux 
the next morning, but the army lemained encamped 
on the island for nearly a w^eek, until the boats returned 
from Crown Point. While the troops were encamped 
here they were truly in a pitiable condition. The 
situation w^as a very unhealthy one, and both officers 
and men seemed to contract all the ills that " flesh is 
heir to." In order to show the reader more clearly what 
they sufl'ered here, we will give Captain Lacey's account 
of it, in his own words, and let it be borne in mind 
that this suflering was endured in order to secure to 
us the many blessings we now enjoy. We should 
never forget the immense price that was paid for our 
Liberty ! 

"Having nothing to do, curiosity led me to visit 
the New England camp. Here my feelings were in- 
descril)al)lc : some men in_, and some out of tents, sick. 



LIFE AND CKA::ACTEU uF roIIX LACEV. 31 

on tlie bare gioimd, infected with flnxes, fevers, small- 
pox, and overrun with legions of lice ; and none but 
the sick to wait on one another. My eyes never before 
beheld such a scene, nor do I ever desire to see such 
another. The lice and maggots seemed to vie with 
each other, creeping in millions over their victims ; 
and the doctors themselves either sick or out of medi- 
cine. The estimate in both camps was that from 15 
to 20 died daily. I examined the burying-ground of 
each camp ; found two large holes dug in the earth, 
one for each camp. While there, I saw several corpses 
brought— carried in a blanket by four soldiers, one 
holding each corner. On their arrival at the pit or 
grave, those next it would let go of the blanket, while 
the other two giving it a hoist, rolled the dead body 
into the pit— where lay several bodies already deposited 
in the same way, with no other covering but the rags 
in which they died, heads and points as they happened 
to come to the ])lace. In this manner the burial con- 
tinued all day. As soon as the breath had left the 
unfortunate victim, the body was laid on a dirty 
blanket, and thus toted oft' to the silent tomb, without 
a sigh from a friend or relative, or a single mourner 
to follow it. In the evening the dirt in front of this 
general grave, or depository of the dead, was thrown 
over the bodies, leaving a new space open for the next 
day. This scene of human wretchedness and misery 
engrossed my attention, and induced a daily visit. 
The New England and New York camp was most 
infected with small-pox, and scarcely a single one sur- 
vived an attack of that disease. Tlie whole armv was 



32 LIFE AND CHARACTER <)F JOHN LACEY. 

computed to be about five thousand men ; of which it 
could not be said tliat more tiian one-tliird was fit for 
duty. Our retreat was certahilj a wise measure, and 
was well conducted." 

The army all reached Crown Point by the 1st of 
July, when General Gates assumed the command. 
Here they remained until the 9th, when they moved 
up to Tieonderoga, where they encamped. On the 
morning of the 12th, the three remaining companies of 
Wayne's regiment, which had been left behind at Long 
Island, joined the camp, and for the first time the 
wliole regiment was together. In the meantime, the 
diificulty between Colonel Wayne and Captain Lacey 
was not settled, and the situation of the latter became 
so unpleasant, that he determined to resign his com- 
mission as soon as the campaign should draw to a close. 
The breach between them became widened instead of 
reconciled, and Captain Lacey found it impossible, 
under the circumstances, to remain in the service with 
any degree of satisfaction ; and although he regretted 
deeply the necessity which impelled him to this step, 
lie considered that his honor and duty to himself re- 
quired it, and he gave notice to that effect to his 
commanding oflicer. His friends persuaded him to 
remain, but he was inflexible in his determination to 
resign at the conclusion of tlie campaign, and when he 
could be of no more service to his country in the posi- 
tion he then occupied. It is not our place to take any 
part in this difficulty between these two officers, but 
as a fjiithful chronicler of events, we could not pass 
over them unnoticed. The historv of both has become 



LIFE AND CHAKACTEK OF JOttK LACEY. 33 

|)Tirt of our national gloiy, and whatever faults either 
may have committed, which led to this unfortunate 
misunderstanding, their valuable services in the cause 
of Independence are ample enough to cover them all 
up. Captain Lacej was ordered by Colonel Wayne, 
on the 13th, to take command of his own company, 
\vhich he did ; and Moore, who had had charge of it, 
was ordered to his own. He found his company in a 
sad condition, exhibiting an entire want of care ; hav- 
ing lost since he parted with it on Long Island, two 
sergeants, two corporals, drummer and fifer, and twen- 
ty-eight privates. He immediately exerted all his 
onergies to put it in a good state of discipline, and he 
devoted all his time to this object not required by 
other duties. On Sunday, the 14th, he was sent with 
one hundred and fifty men and fifty batteaux to Crown 
Point, to bring to Ticonderoga the Gth Pennsylvania 
regiment, which he accomplished without loss. 

While the army occupied this position, the New 
York, New Jersey, and New England troops were 
encamped on Mount Independence, and the Pennsyl- 
vania regiments within the old French lines, north-west 
of the old fort. The men were put to work in strength- 
ening the redoubts and breastworks, ^nd deepening 
the ditches, and were thus employed for several weeks 
in making every necessary preparation to resist the 
enemy, who, it was supposed, would follow and attack 
them at this place. The works had gone very much 
to ruin, and it required a good deal of labor to repair 
them, and place them in a proper posture of defense. 
In addition to the heavy fatig-ue-dutv both officers and 



34 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 

men were obliged to imdergo daily, tliey were also 
exercised in various military manffinvres, sucli as rush- 
ing to the alarm posts, manning the lines, and going 
through the necessary firing to repel an attack. The 
health of the army was now much better than hereto- 
fore, w^hich was caused, in a great measure, by their 
regular duty and better supplies. The sick from 
Crown Point were sent to the barracks at the south 
end of Lake George, where they were rapidly recover- 
ing. Much of the sickness that had prevailed to such 
an alarming extent, while the troops were in Canada, 
was caused by the unwholesome as well as scanty 
supply of food that was furnished to the army. The 
men were obliged to eat rusty pork, and coarse, un ^ 
bolted meal, and there was not even a supply of this 
poor fare ; there seldom being issued more than half 
a ration at a time, and sometimes not that much. 
There is no wonder then, that men living on such 
provisions, much exposed and hard at work all the 
time, should sicken and die. 

Captain Lacey makes the following note of the re- 
ception of the Declaration of Indejxmdeiice, viz. : 

"Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston brought with him 
the Declaration of Congress, on the 4tli, of the Inde- 
pendence of America. It made a little buzz, but soon 
subsided, and was foi-gotten. A few officers left the 
army in consequence of it, among whom was Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Allen." 

In the beginning of September large reinforcements 
arrived at the camp from ditferent quarters, and aftairs 
assumed a nioro warlike asjioct : ;nid it was exi>ectcd 



LIFE AND L'llAKACTEi; OF JOHN LACEY. 3o 

that, before the campaign closed, they would have an 
opportunity to meet the enem}^ The works were 
completed the IStli of Se]Jteniber, when the officers 
and men were publicly thanked for the industry and 
energy they had exhibited in their completion. Dur- 
ing this time Captain Lacey was almost constantly in 
command, either in the entrenchments or on picket- 
guard, and in every instance acquitted himself with 
great credit. 

Among the papers of General Lacey are many of 
the orders of General, then Colonel, Wayne, by which 
it appears that he was a very strict disciplinarian, and 
at the same time something of a martinet, in regard to 
the personal appearance of his men. After the severe 
labors of repairing the works at Ticonderoga were 
ended, he paid considerable attention to the cleanliness 
and appearance of his regiment^ as the following order 
will show : 

Colonel Wayne's Ordeks, September 19. 

" The 4th battalion are to be all under arms, on 
Sunday next, at 9 o'clock, A. m., and, as soap is now 
plenty, and new shirts ready to be delivered to such 
companies as are in w^ant, no excuse can be admitted 
for appearing dirty or indecent. All officers and 
soldiers will be particularly careful, on that day, to 
appear on the parade as neat as possible ; for which 
purpose the officers will see that the men have their 
hair well-powdered and neatly tied and plaited." 

Tlie soap he speaks of was, without doubt, much 



36 LIFE AND CHAIJACTIH OF JOHN LACET. 

needed ; but, with our modei-n notions of soldieringv 
we cannot see how the plaited pig-tails sticking out 
from the hinder part of the head could add any thing 
to the martial appearance of the men. 

They had been waiting the approach of the enemy 
for some time, expecting every day to hear of their 
advance toward Ticonderoga, as our spies had brought 
word that they had a fleet of armed vessels on the 
lake, nearly ready for operations, and that their army 
only waited orders to move from Isle aux Noix and 
Isle La Motte, where they were encamped. In the 
beginning of October General Arnold, with a fleet of 
gun-boats, sloops, etc. , met them some distance beyond 
Crown Point, when a severe action took place. Ar- 
nold fought bravely, but was defeated with considerable 
loss, and many of his vessels fell into the enemy'S' 
hands. Upon this defeat, tlie British army marched 
upon Crown Point, six miles from Ticonderoga, which 
they took possession of on the 15th. Upon this near 
approach of the enemy General Gates had every thing 
placed in readiness to resist an immediate attack, and 
the necessary orders were issued in rapid succession. 
The x4.merican army was in high spirits at the prospect 
of an engagement, and looked forward ^vith much 
Gonfldence to victory. Word was brought by the 
scouts, on the morning of the 28th, that the enemy 
were approaching the American lines by land and 
water. The alarm^guns were fired, and the troops- 
marched to their respective positions, prepared for 
battle. All was excitement and bustle. This move- 
ment, however, proved only a feint to cover a recon- 



LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 37 

noitering party, and the troops, much out of humor, 
were marched back again to their encampments. 
From this time to the 13th of November nothing of 
importance took place, when information was received 
that the British army had evacuated the works at 
Crown Point and retired to St. John's, in order to go 
into winter-quarters, thus closing the campaign and 
giving up the contest until the opening of the next 
spring, when they hoped to be better prepared to carry 
on operations against the colonies. 

The retirement of the British army into winter- 
quarters also closed the campaign of 1776, on the part 
of the Americans, on the northern frontiers. A part 
of the troops returned home, the balance went into 
winter-quarters, and Colonel Wayne was placed in 
command, by order of General Gates. He ordered 
one officer from each company to return home to enlist 
men for the war, to fill up the ranks of those then in 
service. Captain Lacey was one of those selected for 
that duty, from the 4th regiment, and, as Colonel 
Wayne approved the selection, he immediately pre- 
pared to return home. The following is his account 
of the journey homeward : 

"In a few days after, we left the encampment, 
crossed Lake George in batteaux, proceeded on through 
Albany, and down the North River by water, about 
sixty miles, when we struck across the country, to 
avoid the enemy ; came through the town of Esopus, 
and struck the river Delaware some distance above the 
Blue Mountains ; crossed the river and continued our 
course through Pennsylvania; passed the Wind-Gap 



38 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

in the Blue Mountains ; came by Nazareth and Beth- 
lehem ; crossed the Lehigh river at the last mentioned 
place ; and, after traveling a few miles, I left the other 
officers, and came to Durham, and from thence took 
the main road through Bucks county to my father's, 
in Buckingham township, where I once more arrived 
in safety, about the first of December, and found the 
family all well." 



LIFE AND CHATIACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 39 



CHAPTER II. 



^gAPTAIN LACEY found, on his return home, 
J^^ that quite a change had taken place in his own 
neighborhood and in the county generally. When he 
left, in the winter, every thing was quiet and peaceful ; 
but now friends and acquaintance were arrayed in 
hostile opposition. As the war had progressed, and 
especially since independence was declared, the people 
had taken sides for and against the cause of the colo- 
nies, and were extremely bitter in their feelings toward 
each other. He says : "A sullen, vindictive and 
malignant spirit seemed to have taken hold of a large 
portion of the people of the county, whose hostility to 
the Revolution was too apparent not to be noticed, and 
seemed only to be waiting for a good opportunity to 
break forth openly in favor of England, and against 
their own country. Happily for the Whigs, however, 
the Tories were a set of poltroons and cowards, afraid 
openly to espouse their cause and declare themselves ; 
wdiile the Whigs, on the other hand, acted openly, 
avowed their intention and deterniination to live free 



40 LIFE AND CHARACiTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

and independent, or die glorionsly in the struggle for 
their rights. The Tories sneakingly continued to act 
under cover, giving secret information whenever they 
could to the British ; ridiculing the American ofiicers, 
and using every means they could invent to discourage 
the Whigs and to dissuade them from joining the 
American army or militia." He further says, that 
" the hostility of the Tories to independence was so 
violent, that nothing but cowardice prevented their 
taking up arms and openly declaring themselves in 
favor of and joining the British army. They actually 
did every thing they dared to do, by encouraging the 
youth to go over and join the British ; and many of 
the young men were thus sent." 

Among those who were thus hostile to the cause of 
their country was his own family, and most of his 
inmiediate friends and acquaintance. As soon as he 
returned home, his family made a powerful effort to 
detach liim from the cause of his countrj^, and to 
induce him to take up arms in favor of the British. 
They brought every possible argument and persuasion 
to bear upon him, and even went so far as to promise 
to secure him a commission of field-officer in the Brit- 
ish army, if he would quit the cause of the colonies. 
His uncles were particularly anxious to wdn him over 
to the English ; and his uncle Abraham Chapman 
waited upon him, as the representative of the others, 
and held out many inducements for him to turn traitor. 
Four of his cousins had already gone over to the Brit- 
ish, his uncle told him, and it seemed only to require 
his disafibctiun to make the treason of ihe family com- 



LITE AND niAT^AfTETJ OF JOHN E.\( KY. 41 

|3lete. But all their efforts made no impression upon 
him, other than to strengthen his attachment to the 
cause he had espoused. He was a patriot from the 
purest motives, and no earthly inducement could cause 
him to change his allegiance ; neither would he allow 
-any private difSculties with others, in the same ssrvice, 
or real or imaginary injuries received from his superi- 
ors, to shake his adherence to the cause of the inde- 
pendence of the colonies. When his uncle Abraham 
found he could not win him over and make a Tory of 
him, he then asked him not to betray him, but keep 
what he had said a profound secret. They never 
^gain mentioned the subject to him, but gave hiin up 
•as a hopeless patriot, past redemption. 

Captain Lacey now determined to put in execution 
the resolution he had made several months before, of 
resigning his commission at the conclusion of the cam- 
paign. He was in a situation to do this with entire 
piopriety, and without causing any reflection to rest 
upon him, which might have been the case if he had 
a-esigned while in the enemy's country. But before 
he took this step, however, he consulted his uncle, 
John Wilkinson, esquire, who was one of the earliest 
friends of liberty in the county, and who had helped 
to form the State constitution, and was then an active 
.member of the Assembly. He laid all his grievances 
before him, and, upon his advice, he resigned his 
commission to the Council of Safety, then sitting in 
Philadelphia, and accompanied it wuth a narrative of 
the circumstances that compelled him to take this 
course. The resignation of his commission was not 
(3 



42 LivK Axn rnAKAC'iHU of JOHX lackv, 

in accordance with his feelings, but induced by wliat 
lie deemed a sense of duty to himself, in which he con- 
sidered his honor and reputation were at stake. He 
had become much attached to the service, being ex- 
ceedingly martial in his feelings and prone to the 
profession of arms. The service lost a valuable officer, 
but it was not long ere he was called to act in a capa- 
city of greater usefulness to his country. His resigna- 
tion was accepted, and he retired to the private walks 
of life. 

He was not allowed to remain long in peace and 
retirement ; his services were needed for his bleeding 
country, and he was again called to duty. A new 
constitution was adopted for Pennsylvania, in 1776, 
and the Legislature was in session for the first tnne 
nnder it, in the city of Philadelphia, in the winter and 
spring of 1777, busily engaged in organizing the new 
State government. In order to arm the people, to 
oppose the advance of the British the coming campaign, 
it was deemed necessary to reorganize the militia of 
the State. To accomplish this desirable object a new 
militia law was passed the 17th day of March, 1777, 
to go into effect immediately. The act provided for 
the appomtinent of five military officers, one lieutenant 
Avitli the rank of colonel, and four sub-lieutenants with 
the rank of lieutenant-colonel, for each county, who 
were to constitute a sort of civil and military tribunal, 
to carry the law into operation. This tribunal, among 
other things, " were to hold courts ; to class and dis- 
trict the militia, and organize them into regiments and 
companies: to bold the electi(^n for officers: to call out 



LlFi: AND CHAIMCTEi: OF JOHN LACEV. 4o 

the classes and liiid substitutes in place of delinquents; 
to assess, and cause the assessments on delinquents to 
be collected and paid into the State treasury ; with 
other extensive powers, enumerated in the law." John 
Kirkbride, esquire, one of the members of the xVssem- 
bly, was appointed lieutenant, and Messrs. John Gill, 
John Lacey, Samuel Smith and Andrew Keichline 
sub-lieutenants, for the county of ]3ucks. The com- 
mission of Captain Lacey was dated the 22d day of 
March, 1777. They immediately entered upon the 
duties of their appointments, and met at Newtown, 
within a few days, to organize and proceed to business. 
They divided the county into five districts, each of 
which was to furnish a regiment, with the requisite 
officers, to be elected by the men. They appointed 
reliable persons in each township, to take the names 
of all persons between the ages of eigliteen and fifty- 
three years, who speedily made a return of the same, 
when an election was held for officers, the names of 
■which were sent in to the Executive Council for com- 
missions. Such was the dispatch with which the 
several duties which devolved on Colonel Laco}^ were 
discharged, that when he carried in his return to the 
council, he was complimented on being the first to 
make return. Much of tlie energy displayed in these 
proceedings was due to him, whose superior knowledge 
of military organization enabled him to discharge his 
duties with promptitude, and at the same time he in- 
fused some of his own energy and perseverance into 
his colleagues. John Armstrong, esquire, of Cumber- 
land county, M-as appointed major-general, and .Alcssrs. 



44 LIFE \ND CHARACTi:n OF JOHN LACEF. 

Joliii Cadwallacler, Samuel jMereditli and James Potter 
were appointed brigadier-generals. The militia of the 
district in which Colonel Lacey lived chose him their 
lieutenant-colonel, as this otiice did not interfere with 
that of suls)-lieutenant, HJs commission was dated tlie- 
Gth day of 3Iay, 1777, when he immediatel}" assumed 
the connnand in accordance with his rank. 

At the opening of the campaign of 1777 every ap- 
prehension was entertained by the Executive Council, 
tliat Pennsylvania would be made a point of attack by 
the British ; and feeling the necessity of being fully 
prepared to meet such a crisis, the president of the 
council addressed a strong letter to each of the sub- 
lieutenants in the se\eral counties. He entreated 
them, in the strongest terms, to exert themselves to 
the utmost to have the militia in readiness to meet 
the enemy at any point at whicli they might appear, 
and also be prepared to answer any requisition the 
conunander-hi-chief might make upon them. This- 
letter is dated the 16th day of April, 1777, and signed 
by Thomas Whartom,, Jr., President of the Council; 
it breathes a lofty spirit of patriotism, and could not 
help having the desired etfect upon the militia, and 
rousing up both officers and men to great exertions. 
The apprehension of a visit from the British army 
appears to have increased with the State authorities, 
and soon afterward the following circular was addressed 
to each lieutenant of the several counties : 

("CIECULAK.) 

"June 15t]i, 1777. 
'^Sir: — The council have received undoubted in- 



LIFE AND CflARACTER OF JOHN LACEV. 4i> 

tellig-enee that the enemy are on their march witli a 
nnmerons army to invade this State. In my letter of 
the 13th inst. I liave ordered that the first class pro- 
ceed immediately to camp, and that the second be in 
perfect readiness to marcli when called npon. Since 
the express set off with that letter, the movement of 
the enemy makes it absolntely necessary that the sec- 
ond class be also ordered instantly to camp ; and as you 
value your Freedom we entreat you to exert yourself 
to have the third class ready to march at a moment's 
warning; for, next to the blessing of Providence, our 
Liberty and safety depend upon the virtuous eiforts of 
the people. A letter has been written by the general 
oflicers to you and the other lieutenants of the counties, 
to order out the whole militia. Altliough this has- 
been done with a good intentior., as they are zealously 
attached to the cause, yet the council are of opinion 
it may tend to confusion, and that these gentlemen did 
not properly consider the eml)ariassment which would 
ensue upon such a step. 

" You are, therefore, hereby ordered, without loss- 
of time, to march the first and second class to Bristol, 
and to put in readiness the third class also, as there in 
too much reason to suppose they will be ordered out 
as soon as they can possibly be equipped. A compli- 
ance with the militia law is the only means whereby 
the tines and forfeitures of dehnquents can be recovered. 
It is therefore recommended by the council, that a 
strict attention be paid to the direction of the law, and 
particularly that the greatest regard be had to that 
part of it which directs the procuring of substitutes — ■ 



4() LIFE AND ClIAUACTEi; OF JUJIX LACKV. 

wliicli you are to exert yourself to obtain by every 
means the law will justify. 

" As there are many worthy persons who may not 
fall in either of the classes mentioned, whose warm 
attachment to the cause of Freedom may induce them 
to turn out as volunteers, the service of these gentle- 
men, at this important and critical time, will be most 
thankfully received by the council, which I beg you to 
make known as opportunity may otfer. 
" I am, Sir, 

" Your very humble servant, 
(Signed,) "Tiios. Wiiakton, Jun., Pres't. 

" To Joseph Kirkbride, Esq., 
Lieut. ]3ucks County." 

Colonel Lacey appears to have Ijeen opposed to 
calling out the militia e^i 'iiias,si\ and, with the council, 
entertained serious apprehensions that such a course 
would derange their whole sjstem, and do much 
harm. But at the same time if it was deemed best to 
pursue such a course, he signitied his M'illinguess to 
give all the aid in his power. He seemed to have 
only one desire, and tliat was to defeat the enemy and 
establish the liberties of his countr3\ He wrote his 
views fully to Colonel Kirkbride, on the 16th of June, 
from Buckingham, and sent the letter by his brother. 

In the meantime the enemy had embarked from 
New York for the Chesapeake, and there was no longer 
any doubt but that Philadelphia was the point of at- 
tack. The whole country became alarmed, and the 
most patriotic appeals were made by the State authori- 
ties to the militia, to induce them to turn out promptly 



LIFE AND CllAllACTEU OF JOIIX LACEV. 4< 

to repel the invasion. Washington with his army was 
liastening from the East to the supposed point of attack, 
and the Execntive Council, in Phihidelpnia, were doing 
all in their power to support the commander-in-chief. 
Thej issued frequent orders to the lieutenants of the 
several counties to have their forces in readiness, and 
w^ere active in their efforts to further the cause of their 
country. The officers of Bucks county were very 
energetic during tliis period, but none exhibited as 
much efficiency as Colonel Lacey, whose previous ex- 
perience fitted him in a peculiar manner to discharge 
the duties which now devolved upon him. The presi- 
dent of the coun(;il wrote to Colonel Kirkbride, on the 
31st of July, that two hundred and twenty-eight sail 
of the enem.y's fleet were at the capes of the Delaware, 
and urged him to have the class of the militia ordered 
out marched to Chester as soon as possible. During the 
latter part of the summer and fall, several drafts were 
nuide from the militia to join the main army, under 
Washington, and in every instance Ikicks county fur- 
nished her full quota. The battle of Brandywine ^vas 
fought on the 11th of September, and on the 26tli the 
British army entered Philadelphia in triumph. Wash- 
ington, with the American army, crossed the Schuyl- 
kill, and took up a strong position on the Skippack 
creek, and the 4th of October he attacked the British 
in their encampment at Germantown, at daylight, but 
again failed in his object, and was obliged to retreat. 
Colonel Lacey w^as in this action, but had no command ; 
he appears to have been a voUmteer upon the occasion. 
As a matter of cjeneral interest to the reader, we here 



48 LIFE AXD fnARACTER oF fOllX I.ACEY. 

insert his own account of the engagement. He ex- 
presses himself witli mnch clearness, and exhibits no 
mean knowledge of military affairs, 

"General Howe having placed a part of his troops 
on the heights of German town, a village about five 
miles from the city, General Washington conceived 
this to be a suitable object to strike at. He accord- 
higly put his troops in motion, and made a vigorous 
attack on the enemy, who were unapprised of his 
movements, until their sentinels hailed the advanced 
columns of our troo]*s. These rushing forward drove 
the enemy on all qvuirters, and took possession of their 
t-amp. This would have been a decisive day in favor 
of Americ.'i, had not the American troops halted to 
dislodge a few of the enemy, who had taken shelter in 
,a large stone house belonging to Benjamin Chew ; 
which so retarded their progress that the enemy had 
time to rally ; and being supported by fresh troops 
from the city, the Americans were arrested in their 
pursuit. Broken parties coming up (in pursuit of the 
tiying enemy) to the newly formed line of the Jh'itish 
troops, ^vere nnable to force them a sec(nid time, and 
had to fall back. The eneniy taking advantage of 
their disorder advanced. The Americans not being 
able to form were pushed i)ack in their turn. 

" The general, tinding the day lost, ordered a retreat 
—which was effected in tolerable order. Thus ended 
an aifair which at the onset promised so favorably, and 
which we had every reason to believe, had it not been 
for the stoppage at Chew's house, would have resulted 
in a comjilete victory : but Ife who holds the destinies 



T.IPK x\Nl) CUAltACTin; OF JOllTs T.A('i:T. 41) 

'of l);ittles and events iu his own hand liad decreed 
•otlierwise. After this the enemy retired to the city, 
-and General Washington encamped in a very advan- 
tageous position, on the Heights of White Marsh. 

" Althongh I had no command at this time I was 
with the militia in the ahove affair. They were posted 
on the right of the American army, with orders 'to 
turn the enemy's left. Before they came to the place 
^dlotted to them, the enemy were gone ; and their 
new line was formed so far to the left, I saw there was 
little likelihood of our coming in contact with them. 
I rode forward to where the main array was engaged, 
and had an opportunity of seeing the manner in which 
the business was conducted. We had full possession 
of the enemy's camp, which was on fire in several 
places. Dead and wounded men were strewed about 
in all quarters. When the order for retreat came the 
American troops were in much disorder. Those in 
front — driven back by the enemy — and falling on those 
in the rear increased the confusion, and rendered it 
impossible to form in such order as to oppose the ad- 
vancing enemy. A general retreat was inevitably 
-necessary to save the American nrmy from a general 
route. 

'' The affair at Chew's house was not, in my judg- 
ment, the only cause of the loss of this battle. There 
were others equally important. General Green's divi- 
sion — composing the left wing of the army — was either 
Jed astray by their guides, or mistook their way, and 
wandered so far to the left that they never came into 
action. The right wing, composed of about four thou- 
.7 



50 LIFK AND CIIAKAC TElf OF JolIN LACEY, 

saiul Pennsylvania militia— in like manner being so 
far to the right, never saw the enemy that day. Had 
they acted their part equally with the centre, which 
was commanded in person by General Washington, 
;iiid pushed the enemy's flanks with spirit and alacrity, 
as they ought to have done, the enemy must have been 
]3re vented from forming a second line, which they did 
without opposition — and after rallying had none to 
contend with but the centre division of the American 
army, and only a part of that — the other portion hav- 
ing halted at Chew's house. Those who did advance 
in pursuit, being broken and out of order, were unable 
to make any impression upon the enemy, thus drawn 
up in order, and consequently soon gave way. The 
fate of the day, so favorable to the American arms at 
the outset, instantly changed. General Washington, 
perceiving the day to be lost, gave a general older 
for retreat." 

The above is of interest because it was written by 
an eye-witness, and has never before appeared in print. 

Toward the latter end of October, the Executive 
Council ordered out another class of the militia, to 
supply the place of those whose term of seivice was 
about to expire. They were ordered to rendezvous at 
Newtown in the beginning of November, and were 
placed in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lacey. He 
marched from thence to Wliite ]\Iarsh with a force of 
some three or four hundred men, and joined the bri- 
gade of General Potter. The British soon after took 
post at Chestnut Hill, when the two armies being 
within siii'ht of each other, almost daily encounters 



LIFE AND CllAUAC'J'Ei; OF .M»11N LALFV. 51 

took place between them. Colonel Lacey with his 
reo-iment was in several of these combats, and in every 
instance behaved with great credit. Tlie enemy, de- 
clining a general engagement, retired to the city, and 
General Potter's brigade took up a position on the 
west side of the Schuylkill, near the Gulf Mills, on the 
main road leading to Philadelphia. Here the Ameri- 
cans were attacked the next morning by the British, 
and a severe combat ensued. Colonel Lacey with his 
regiment occupied the centre of the first line, consist- 
ing of three regiments, and was drawn up on an emi- 
nence, with the right resting on the main road. The 
other two regiments lied at the first fire, but Lacey's 
stood their ground and exchanged shots with the 
enemy until they began to outflank him, when he fell 
back in good order to the second line, under General 
Potter, drawn up on a height, about half a mile in the 
rear. The enemy rushed on and in a short time com- 
pelled the second line to give way also. Lacey with 
his regiment covered the retreat of the flying militia, 
and tried, in vain, to rally them to make further 
resistance. Soon a general rout ensued, and he was 
obliged to join the main l)ody and hasten oft' the field 
as rapidly as possible. In his eftbrts to rally the scat- 
tered forces he came near being captured, the account 
of which we give in his own words, as follows : 

" I was among the rear, and having in attempting 

to rally the men got some distance from the road, I 

came to a fence, which I got my horse over with much 

. difliculty ; but on coming to a second fence, after 

passing over a field, (it being one side of a lane leading 



52 LIFi: AND ( '11 Al.'ACTEi: OF .JOJl.V LAC'ET. 

from tlic' ScliuylkllU to the Gulf road, and a stoiif 
fence,) I called to the men who were passino- over it 
to throw off a rider. All being in such a hurry, and 
thinking of nothing but self-preservation, they took 
no notice, but left me to get over as well as I could. 
Twice did I run my horse against the fence without 
effect ; on the third effort it gave way. 1 found my- 
self in a lane and set off at full-speed for the main road, 
about two hundred yards distant, on entering which I 
discovered a column of the enemy's horse on the top 
of the hill about fifty yards from me. They called to- 
me to surrender. I halted ; but on casting my eye& 
down the road I saw our flying troops about two hun- 
dred yards below. By a mere mechanical movement,, 
without time to think, I clapped spurs to my horse, 
and, lying, flat up his withers, went at full speed after 
them. The enemy fired their pistols or carbines at 
me, and I heard the bullets whisp by me. Two dra- 
goons pursued me, and finding them gaining upon me 
as I came up with the hindmost troops, I ordered our 
men to turn about and fire. Several muskets were 
discharged as the men ran, by firing ofi' their shoulders, 
without stopping or turning about. Conceiving myself 
in more danger, by this mode of firing, from my own 
men than from the enemy, I called upon them to 
desist, or they would shoot me. On my gaining the 
rear of our retreating troops, one of the dragoons took 
up his horse ; but the- other horse, being too mettle- 
some, refused to yield to his rider ; they dashed in. 
among our men and were both shot down together. 
The transaction was so sudden and instantaneous that 



LIFE AND ('HAI^ACTEU OF JOHN LACLi'. U.'v 

it was impossible to save either the luau or the horse^ 
more than twenty guns being fired at them in the 
6ame moment." 

General Washington, in his orders, complimented 
the regiment of Lientenant-Colonel Lacey for the- 
handsome manner in which they behaved in this afftiir. 
The loss of the Americans w^as one officer and seven- 
teen men. General Potter with his brigade now 
marched to Swede's Ford, where they met the main, 
army nnder Washington, on their way to go into win- 
ter-quarters. It was about the middle of December, 
and the weather had become cold and wintry, yet the- 
services of the militia in the field could not be dis- 
pensed with, and they were again ordered to take post 
on the west side of the Schuylkill, in order to watch 
the enemy and cover the main army while building 
their huts at the Valley Forge. A court-martial, of 
which Colonel Lacey was appointed judge-advocate-, 
was here convened by order of General Potter, to try 
such men as threw away their arms and equipments at 
the Gulf Mills, in order to facilitate their escape. 
Some were sentenced to be publicly whipped, which 
sentence was carried into effect and caused much dis- 
turbance in camp. In a few days the brigade was 
ordered to join the rest of the militia at North Wales, 
under the command of General Armstrong, Avho was 
the major-general of all the militia raised in the State. 
On their arrival at General Armstrong's head-quarters-, 
Colonel Lacey with his regiment was ordered to- 
proceed to the Cross Roads, now Harts ville, near the 
Neshaminy. He continued his m.ar(>-h, and encamped 



ij4 LU'J: AN[J CIIARACTKK OF JOHN LACEV. 

on the 2()tli day of December in a wood about half-way 
between the cross-roads and the Billet, near Hat- 
borough, in Montgonierj^ county. He established his 
quarters in a house near the camp, and mentions that 
he there slept in a house for the first time for two 
months. He had only been in camp three daj^s, when 
he received an order from General Armstrong, in pur- 
suance of an order from General Washington, to march 
his regiment the next morning to the lower end o 
Germantown, without baggage, with cooked provi- 
sions, and oiie axe to each company, and there await 
further orders. Being there joined b}^ the whole of 
the Pennsylvania militia, they marched toward Phila- 
delphia, and commenced an attack on the outposts of 
the enemy in the Northern Liberties, with cannon and 
small arms. After remaining under arms for some 
time, without any serious demonstration being made, 
they were ordered to return to their camps ; when 
Colonel Lacey marched his regiment back to his former 
position near the Cross Roads. As the service of his 
men would expire the last of December, he had only 
time to have them mustered and paid off before that 
period arrived, when they were discharged and re- 
turned to their respective homes. 



LIFE AND t'HAKACTEU OF JOHN LACEY, 



CHAPTER III. 



'y^-'MTH the forcg;oiiig operations on the Hchnylkill, 
k^M> ^iid before Philadelphia, was closed the cam- 
paign of 1777 in this section of the country. Colonel 
Lacey, on the discharge of his regiment, returned to 
liis father's house, in the township of Buckingham, 
where he hoped to be able to spend the winter in 
peace and quiet. But in this he was disappointed, 
from two causes : first, because he was soon again 
called into the service of his country, in a new and 
more useful situation ; and secondly, because the To- 
ries and Refugees in that neighborhood continually 
harassed him, and gave him no rest wdiile he remained 
at home. He had rendered himself so obnoxious to 
them by his activity in the American cause that they 
made many threats against his life, and also threatened 
to burn his father's house and mills for harboring him. 
He complains at this time of the course the Whigs 
took as doing much injury to the American cause — 
that many of the most active were seeking hiding- 
places, and some were even courting the Tories in the 



•oO LIFK AND niAUACTEK ( »F lollX LAt'EV. 

iieighborliood, to secure their safe tj— that an open 
and notorious communication was kept up between the 
tiitj and country, to carry provisions and information 
to the Bi'itisli. The opposition to the cause of the 
colonies had increased, and tlie near proximity of the 
British army liad so mucli ehited the disaffected tliat 
they openly threatened vengeance against all who dare 
oppose them. It was almost dangerous for an open, 
active patriot to live in the neighborhood, and at one 
time Colonel Lacey had serious thoughts of removing 
farther back into the interior, both on account of 
greater safety, and to get rid of the constant annoy- 
ance to which he was subjected. 

This disaftectiun extended to such a degree tlirough- 
•out the country, during the time Washington with his 
army lay at the Valley Forge, that in many instances 
lie found it very ditticult to procure the necessary 
*<upplies for his troops. The mihtary chest was quite 
empty, and the inhabitants would not furnish anything 
to the army withtMit pay, unless they were obliged to 
do so by force. The soldiers were iji great want of 
straw, whicli could not be had because the farmers, 
most of whom were hostile in the neighborhood of 
the camp, would not thresh their grain. To put a stop 
to this evasion Washington issued the following order, 
which we have no doul)t brought the offending farmers 
to their sensfi^s : 
"•'•By His Ki'ceUency, (ieorgi'^ Washington, Esquire, 

General and Commander- m-cliief of the Forces of 

the Vmted States of A merica. 

*' By virtue of tlie jiowor iUid (Hrection to me 



LIFE AND CHAliACTER OF JOHN LACFY. 57 

•especially given, I hereby enjoin and require all per- 
sons residing within seventy miles of my head-quarters 
to thresh one-half of their grain by the first day of 
March next ensuing, on pain, in case of failure, of 
having all that shall remain in sheaves after the period 
■above mentioned, seized by the commissaries and 
quarter-masters of the army and paid for as straio. 
Given under my hand, at head-quarters, near the 
Valley Forge, in Philadelphia county, this 20th day of 
December, 1777. 

(Signed,) "G. Washington. 

*' By His Excellency's command, 

" Robert H. Harrison, Secretary." 

General Lacey was not suifered, however, long to 
remain idle. At the opening of the year 1778 his 
sphere of usefulness was much enlarged by being 
appointed a brigadier-general in the militia of Pennsyl- 
vania, and assigned to the discharge of most arduous 
and important duties. He received the following 
communication, announcing his appointment, from the 
president of the Executive Council : 

"Lancaster, January 9 tli, 1778. 

"Sir:— You are this day appointed a brigadier- 
general of this State, and the secretary will, by Colonel 
Hart, forward to you a commission empowering you 
to act as such. 

" Brigadier-General Potter has obtained leave to 
visit his family, and you are to take the command in 
his absence. 

" Two classes of the militia from the county of York, 
■two from the county of Cumberland, two from the 
s 



58 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 

county of Northampton, and one from the county of 
Northumberland, are now ordered into tlie field, and 
the lieutenants of the counties of Philadelphia and of 
Bucks are directed to supply you with twenty light- 
horse each, without officers, as they must be necessarily 
divided into small parties where officers will be useless. 
" I am, sir, 

" Your very humble servant, 
(Signed,) " Tnos. Wharton, Jr., Pres. 

"To Brig. -Gen. Lacey, at camp." 

Accompanying the above was the following from 
the secretary of the Executive Council, enclosing his 
commission : 

"Lancaster, January 9th, 1778. 

" Sir : — Enclosed is a commission authoring you to 
act as a brigadier-general in the militia of this State. 

" I congratulate you on this appointment, which, at 
the same time it does you honor in acknowledging your 
merit as an officer, aifords a reasonable ground of hope 
for benefit to the public, by calling you into the iield 
in an important station. I sincerely wish you success, 
and aui, with great respect, 

"Your very huml)le servant, 
(Signed,) " T. Matlack, Secretary. 

" To Bru!.-Gen. Lacey, at camp." 

The bestowal of this commission was conferring a 
high honor upon Colonel Lacey, and when we consider 
that at this time he was not yet twenty-three years of 
age, and was promoted o\'er the lieutenants and also 
the sub-lieutenants of the different counties, who were 
older in vcav!^ than hiinsolf, and manv of whom out- 



LIFE AND CHAKACTEPv OF J< >11X LACEY. oU 

ranked liim, it appears more than a simple approval of 
merit, and exhibits the great confidence reposed in 
hitn by the Execntive Council. His future activity 
and usefulness showed this trust wan not misplaced. 
It would be but natural to suppose that the appoint- 
ment of so young a man, over the heads of older officers, 
would have created a jealous}^ on their part toward 
him ; such, however, was not tlie case, because they 
all knew his superior qualifications for the station he 
was called to fill. As evidence of the satisfaction his 
appointment gave to the militia "ofiicers of his own 
county, it need only be mentioned that Colonel Kn-k- 
bride, the Heutenant of Bucks, wrote him the moment 
he heard of his promotion. His letter is dated at 
Belle vue, 13th of January, 1778, in which he compli- 
ments him upon his appointment, wliile he regrets the 
loss of so able and eflicient a sub-lieutenant. As soon 
as General Lacey received his commission, he prepared 
to enter upon the discharge of his new duties, which 
were onerous enough to liave shaken the confidence of 
a more experienced officer. 

This honor was none the less pleasing because it was 
unsolicited ; as the first intimation he had of it was 
the notification of his appointment from the president 
of the council. At first he thought of refusing the 
commission, because of his youth and want of confi- 
dence in himself to fill so high a station ; but upon 
reflection he concluded to accept, as it might aftbrd 
him a better opportunity to serve his country, in whose 
cause his heart was fully enlisted. He iimnediately 
received a very )>ressing invitation \\-u\n (leneral Potter 



60 LIFE AND CHARACrrEE OF JOHN LACLTT. 

to come and see him at camp ; but when he arrived' 
there he fomid the general had left, and things were- 
in great confusion, of which he gives the following 
account. He says, '" I found the camp in a deplorable 
condition ; Major-General Armstrong and General 
Potter gone, the number of the troops reduced from 
about three thousand to six hundred ; those lately 
departed had left their camp-equipage strewed every- 
where — muskets, cartouch-boxes, camp-kettles and 
blankets — some in and some out of the huts the men. 
had left, with here and there a tent, some standing 
and some fallen down. No one seeming to have the 
charge or care of them, my first efforts were made to 
have them collected and sent oft* to a place of safety. 
How easy it would have been for a few of the enemy to 
have di'iven the scattered militia at the difterent posts 
on the roads leading to Philadelphia. Not more than 
sixty rank and file being at this camp, the destruction 
of near three thousand stand of arms and accoutrements 
here might have been easily effected, which the enemy 
most certainly would have done had tliey known the 
unprotected state these arms were in." 

The above condition of things at camp shows not 
a very flattering prospect under which the general was 
to commence his new career. The obstacles he had 
to contend against seemed almost insurmountable ; but 
his iron will and steady perseverance overcame them 
all. The responsibilities he now assumed were arduous 
and harassing in the extreme, and it is cause of aston- 
ishment that he discharged them so as to give such, 
entire satisfaction to the commander-in-chief. The 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY- 61 

British lay in snug winter-quarters in Pliiladelphia, 
enjoying themselves amid the comforts and luxuries of 
the capital ; while Washington and his band of heroe& 
were quartered in rnde aud cheerless huts near Valley 
Forge, where they suffered from cold, want of pro- 
visions and many other causes. The enemy made 
frequent incursions from Philadelphia into the country, 
to obtain provisions and forage, as well as to strike 
terror into the minds of the few inhabitants who re- 
mained loyal to the cause of the colonies. The 
country people were also in the daily practice of carry- 
ing produce of all kinds into the city, which they sold 
to the enemy for a high price ; and at the same time 
gave them much valuable information as to the situ- 
ation of affairs in the surrounding country. These 
spies, for they were in i-eality such, informed them 
who were the most active Whigs, and where they 
lived ; and it was not infrequent that strong parties of 
the enemy came out from the city in the night, sur- 
prised and carried off* as prisoners the most useful 
citizens, besides burning houses, barns, mills, and 
doing other damage to property. Mills on some of 
the streams were secretly engaged in grinding grain 
for the use of the British army, which was conveyed 
into the city under a strong escort. It was the desire 
of Washington to break up this dangerous connection 
between the tow^n and country, and to General Lacey, 
with his raw mihtia, was intrusted this important 
duty. The situation of Washington in winter-quartersy 
west of the Schuylkill, prevented him from checking 
these incursions, and^ besides, his force was too weak 



62 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

to spare any part of it for tliis purpose. His field of 
operations extended from the Schuylkill to the Dela- 
ware ; and the district of country between these two 
rivers was placed under his jurisdiction. His situation, 
while it was full of responsibility, was at the same time 
dangerous and delicate. All the surrounding country 
was much disaifected, and in many parts the inhabi- 
tants were open in their adherence to the British. 
The enemy had declared they would have him dead 
or alive, and their spies watched him so closely that 
all his movements were well known to them. The 
troops he had under him were raw militia, badly armed 
and equipped, and almost entirely unused to the duties 
of a soldier ; they were slow coming into the field, and 
often, at the expiration of their period of service, he 
was left almost without a command. And then, to 
add to his unpleasant situation, he was often obliged 
to dismantle the mills, and to destroy the crops and 
other private property of his relations, friends and 
neighbors, to prevent them falling into the hands of 
the enemy. Now when we consider that he was a 
young man, not yet twenty-three years of age, and 
without much experience in the world, when he as- 
sumed this command, we become sensible to the trying 
position in which he was placed. He shrunk from no 
duty, how^ever unpleasant it might be, but carried out 
every order of Washington in the most decided man- 
ner, and with strict impartiality. He passed the winter 
and spring in scouring the country within the limits 
of his command, and during this time he was engaged 
in several dangerous enterprises against the enemy. 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 63 

Soon after General Lacey assumed the command of 
liis brigade, Washington addressed liim the following 
letter, in the shape of instructions as'to^thc line of duty- 
he was to be employed in. It was dated : 

" Head-Quarters, Valley Forge, 
"Jan. 23, 1778. 

" Sir :— I received your favor dated the 21st inst. 
I must request that you will exert yourself to fulfill the 
intention of keeping a body of troops in the country 
where you are posted. Protecting the inhabitants is 
one of the ends designed, and preventing supplies and 
intercourse with tlie enemy and city is the other. 
This, perhaps, with the utmost vigilance cannot be 
totally effected ; but I must entreat you to take every 
step that may render it possible. x4s to the reduction 
of your numbers, I wish you to make timely applica- 
tion to the President of the State, to keep up the 
necessary force under your command. 

" I am well informed that many persons, under the 
pretence of furnishing the inhabitants of Germantown, 
and near the enemy's lines, afford immense supplies to 
the Philadelphia market — a conduct highly prejudicial 
to us and contrary to every order. It is therefore 
become proper to make an example of some guilty 
one, that the rest may expect a like fate should they 
persist. This I am determined to put into execution; 
and request you when a suitable object falls into your 
hands that you will send him here with a witness ; or 
let me know his name, when you shall have power to 
try, and (if proved guilty) to execute. This you will 
be pleased to make known to the people, that they 



64 LIFE AND CHARACTEK ((F JOHN 1>ACEY. 

may again have warning. Your want of whiskey 1 
cannot remedy— we are in the same situation here, 
and notliing ejffectnal can be done until the arrival of 
the Committee of Congress, whom we expect every 
day. 

" I am, sir, 

" Your most humble servant, 
(Signed,) "Geo. Washington." 

General Lacey first estal)lished his head-quarters at 
Graham (or Graeme) Park, situated near the county 
line, not far from where the Doylestown and Willow 
Grove turnpike crosses that road. He fixed his depot 
of provisions and stores at Doylestown, because of 
the security of the place, where he also stationed a 
small guard for tlieir protection. He wrote the presi- 
dent of the council from canqj, the 24tli of January, 
complaining of the slowness with which the militia 
came in, and stated that his numbers were not adequate 
to prevent communication with the city. He says his 
force was as follows : "About seventy rank and file at 
his camp at Smithfield, and at the Spring House and 
Plymouth about three hundred." This was a very 
small force to watch such an extensive scope of country 
as was intrusted to him. He considered his situation 
too much exposed where he was for the strength of his 
force, and deemed it advisable to move farther into the 
country, to wait reinforcements. For this purpose 
he changed his camp to liodmaiUs farm, in Warwick, 
where he had his head-quarters until about the first of 
March, when he moved down the York road to the 
Crooked l^illot, now Hatborough, where he encamped. 



IJFK AND CHAKACTEU OF JOHN LACEY. 65 

The camp at " G. Eocl man's, Warwick," was on what 
is now known as the Poor House farm ; and the Mr. 
Rodman mentioned was a sterhng patriot of those 
days, and, hke General Lacey, was excommunicated 
from the Friends' meetino; for taking sides with the 
colonies. He answered Washington's letter of the 23d 
from Rodman's farm, and mentioned among other 
things an accident which took place in camp on the 
24th. A spark of fire communicated with the cart- 
ridges, by which about six thousand were destroyed, 
some tents and cartridg-e-boxes consumed, and five 
men severely burned. He also states in the same letter 
that the communication with the city was chiefly car- 
ried on by women. 

Up to the 2d of February, nearly a month after he 
took tlie comnumd of the brigade, none of the militia, 
eitlier from Northumberland, Cumberland, York or 
Northampton counties, had joined him, and only two 
horsemen from Philadelphia and Bucks. With this 
small force he found it impossible to accomplish any 
thing, and to add to his other causes of trouble, his 
men were so badly supplied with rations by the proper 
department, that two-thirds of their time, when not 
engaged in other duty, was employed in collecting 
provisions. The want of a properly organized com- 
missariat seems to have been a great drawback upon 
the efficiency of his operations when he first assumed 
the command, and the abuses wdiich grew ont of it 
caused much murmuring among the people. Troops 
when not supplied by the proper State authorities 
will ]iillno:e in spite of all their officers can do, and in 



GG LiF!" .'^^'D rilAKArrr:!; oi' JitiiN lacev, 

this instuiicc they did not refrain from it. Sometimes 
parties of militia, with arms in their hands, went through 
the country without authority and took articles by 
force, iiuliscriminately from friend and foe. This con- 
duct rendered tlie service unpopular with many — they 
deemed it bad enough to be robbed by their enemies, 
but entirely insupportable when thus treated by those 
whom they considered friends and had a riglit to look 
to for protection. Of course, General Lacey suffered 
by this conduct, but as soon as it came to his knowl- 
edge he took immediate measures to remedy the evil 
comi)lained of. This he accomplished by organizing 
as toon as possible a commissary department, by which 
means supplies were regularly furnished his command, 
except now and then, in a case of great necessity, he 
was obliged to levy contributions upon the inhabitants, 
but which was always done under orders and by direc- 
tion of an officer, vouchers being given for whatever 
w^as taken. Private pillage by the soldiers was entirely 
broken up, and the murmurings of the people quieted. 
The intercourse between the city and country was 
kept up, in spite of all the exertions made by General 
Lacey to put a stop to it, and on the Stli of February 
Wasliington wrote him to allow every thing captured 
going into or coming out of the city, to redound to the 
benefit of the men, in order to incite them to greater 
activity ; but at the same time the commander-in-chief 
advised him to move his camj^ uearer the city, and 
iustead of trusting to fixed guards to keep out constant 
patroles and scouts in every direction. Ilis force by 
tli(> \')\]\ r.f Fclirunvv h:i;l dwiM-Hod dowu to sixiy men 



LIVE AND CllAKACTER ( »F JOHN LAe'EY. ()( 

tit for duty, not more tlian sufBcient to guard his own 
camp and stores, and the surrounding countr}^ was left 
ahnost wholly un])rotected from the incursions of the 
enemy. On the night of the 13th a large body of the 
enemy's horse came as far up the York road as Butler's 
tavern, now the Willow Grove, thirteen miles from 
the city. They took Mr. Butler prisoner, thence went 
to Major Wright's tavern, near Whitemarsh, captured 
the major and some other persons, and returned in 
safety. The next night a large body of cavalry and 
infantry surprised the village of Smithfield, and made 
aome prisoners. On the evening of the 17th Newtown 
was visited by these marauders, where they took pris- 
oner Major Murray and some of his men, and robbed, 
^lie fulling-mill at that place of all the cloth that was 
m it. The news of the descent upon New^town reached 
General Lacey the next morning, when he immediately 
■•narched his whole disposable force in that direction, 
hoping to be able to intercept the enemy in their re- 
treat, but before he arrived there he learned they had 
left the place and returned to Philadelphia. About, 
the 23d he made an attempt, by order of General 
Washington, to destroy a large quantity of hay at 
Point-no-Point, which it was feared would fall into the 
hands of the enemy. He made two attempts to destroy 
it, both of which failed, because his guide deceived 
him. He again changed his head-quarters, and on the 
3d of March we find him encamped at the Crooked 
Billet. In the meantime he had been very active in 
the discharge of his arduous duties, but his usefulness 
was much impaired l>y the smallucss of his numbers. 



(JS LIFE AND CIlAliACTEf: OF JOHN LACEY. 

It seemed almost impossible to induce the militia to 
turn out, and those who did join him were mostly 
without arms, and he had no means of supplying them. 
About the first of March a large drove of cattle was 
captured by the enemy, because he had no men to 
protect them, while they were being driven to Wash- 
ington's camp. 

The reader will be able to judge, from the following 
letters, of the un])leasant situation in which General 
Lacey was placed. The first is to General Potter, and 
is as follows : 

" Camp, Ckooked Billet, 
"March 4th, 1778. 

" Dear General : — You very well know tlie situ- 
ation you left me in, and the declining state of the 
militia, which at last was reduced so low that I could 
not, on the greatest emergency, parade more than 
forty men. In this forlorn condition I thought proper 
to send all the arms and stores belonging to the brigade 
to Allentown. The time of these forty was to expire 
in a few days ; and no tidings of a fresh supply near, 
I expected to be left alone. In this melancholy pre- 
dicament I moved my little camp to the banks of the 
Neshaminy, where I could not be easily surprised. 
But to my comfort, a few days before their time ex- 
pired, near 400 unarmed men arrived from Cumberland 
and about 80 from York county. I immediately sent 
oft' express after express to forward down some arms, 
which were deposited at Colonel Antes's ; but to my 
sad misfortune, the whole w^ere unsuccessful. Colonel 
Antes was from- home, and no person left in his room 



LIFE AND C1IAT?ACT1:R OF JOHN LACEV. 69 

to officiate. I then detached off wagons, I thought 
sufficient, to bring the arms to complete my numbers ; 
but the road proved so bad, they only brought three 
hundred. In the meantime, I picked up one hundred 
old arms, which had not been moved for want of 
wagons, and gave them to the men ; bnt near fifty of 
them were without ffints, and not one flint in camp to 
supply them. The evening my arms arrived, my other 
little party's time expired. Here I was, in the midst 
of business, and that all in confusion ; Major Cum- 
mings, whose business this was to see after, was gone 
to Lancaster. At this critical moment a large party 
of cattle was on the way to camp, the drover of which 
applied to me for a guard ; but in my tattered condi- 
tion, I thought myself unable to supj)ly him. I advised 
him to keep back in t]ie country, where I thought 
there was no danger; but he, keeping too low, the 
cattle were taken by the enemy the next night near 
Bartholomew's tavern. Many censure me for not 
sending a gnard with them, which I think was out of 
my power in the condition I then was ; for the men 
had double duty to do for their own safety. From 
this detail you will be able to see how things have 
passed since you left me. At this time I am cruelly 
off for provisions. I keep my men all in one camp as 
yet. 

" I am, dear general, etc., 
(Signed,) "J. Lacey." 

The second was addressed to General Armstrong, 
and dated 



70 LIFE AXij cuAUAC ri:!; of John lackv. 

" Camp, Crooked Billet, 
"March 4th, 1778. 

" Dear General :■ — Little did I expect to take the 
held so soon, when I saw you hist ; neither did I expect 
so much trouble was allotted to me as I have found 
since I have had the command. I do not mean hard 
fatigue of body, for that, where things go on smoothlj^ 
I pride in ; but it is the incessant fatigue and anxiety 
of mind of which I complain. I have been turned out 
into a wide country to protect its inhabitants, and stop 
an intercourse with the enemy (which it would require 
two thousand troops to effect) with only fifty men, 
which was actually my strength for a long time ; and 
when a reinforcement came, they were helpless, and 
without arms, and none in camp. It was some time 
before the arms (which were at Colonel Antes's and at 
Allentown) could be brought to camp for the want of 
wagons. While in this avdrward situation, a drove of 
cattle, which was passing through the country, was 
taken by the enemy, on account of my not being able 
to provide them wnth a guard. 

" We are sadly off for want of provisions. What we 
do get is almost carrion, and not our allow^ance of that. 
" I am, dear general, w^ ith respect, 

" Your most obdt. and humble servant, 
(Signed,) "J. Lacey. 

" General Armstrong." 

The state of affairs described in the foregoina: letters 
S3ems almost sufficient to have shaken the resolution 
of any man, or at least to have discouraged him. But 
it was not so with (Ten(M'al Lacev : b.e was made of 



LIFE AND CliAHA( r:]{ ot'^ 'OIIK LACF.Y. ii 

Kterner stutf; his soul was fired with a lofty patriotism, 
and he allowed no discouraging circumstances to come 
between him and the duty he owed to his country. 
He labored on unceasingly, and, whether in prosperity 
or adversity, he was ever the same unwavering and 
devoted friend to the cause of liberty. If tried by the 
dangers by Avliich he was surrounded, and the difficul- 
ties he had to contend against, he stands forth as true 
a patriot as was found in the land. He filled up the 
measure of his duty equal to any officer who served in 
the armies of the struggling colonies ; and the people 
of his native county and State should be proud and 
jealous of his memory and reputation. 

We make the two following extracts from General 
Lacey's correspondence, in order to show how general 
was the disati'ection of tlie people in the region of 
country embraced within his field of operations. The 
first is dated March the 4th, and addressed to the 
president of the council, as follows : 

" Sir : — It is distressing to learn the number of peo- 
ple who flock to the enemy with marketing ; amongst 
whom are many 3"oung fellows wdio have fled from 
their homes to save their fines, and are carrying on a 
peddling-trade between the city and country. I liav<? 
taken several of them avIio were going to the enemy 
with jjaicels of meal on their backs. Some of them I 
am acquainted with, and I do believe they were going 
to join the enemy." 

The second is dated Marcii the 11th, and also ad- 
dressed to the president of the council. In speaking 
(if scuutiiia' around the cOuntrv, lie says: 



72 LIFE AND CIJAIIACTEK UF .101 IN LACEY. 

" As soon as I approaeh within eight or ten miles of 
the enemy's hnes, the inhabitants, having their horses 
concealed in by-places, mount them, and taking their 
way through fields and jjrivate paths repair directly to 
the city with the intelhgence that the rebels are in the 
neighborhood. Not one word of intelhgence can we 
procure from them — not even the directions of the 
roads. " 

He rendered himself, by his zeal and activity, parti- 
cularly obnoxious to the Tories and all other disaffected 
persons, who endeavored to do him all the injury they 
possibly could. Charges were made against him to 
his superiors that he showed partiality, and allowed his 
own friends and relations to pass to and from the city 
M'ith impunity, hoping thereby to injure his reputation. 
]3ut in every case he showed that such charges were 
false and malicious, and propagated by his enemies. 
So far from showing any partiality to his own friends, 
he was often obliged to put in execution the most 
stringent orders against his Tory relations ; and some 
of them were so nuich embittered against him, for the 
strictness with which he discharged his duty, that they 
never forgave him as long as thej^ lived. 

From the Crooked Billet General Lacey with his 
command, moved down to Whitemarsh, where we find 
him encamped on the 11th of March. From this place 
he made a return of the strength of his brigade, as 
follows : 

Present at this place, rank and file 399 

On command with cattle do. 50 



l.TFK AND CHAl.'ACTEl^ OP JOHN LACEY. 1^ 

I)o. do. with Captain Henderson and Cap- 
tain Hmnpheys, in Bucks eoimtj 50 

At Doylestowii, guarding stores 35 

Sick . 64 

On furlough 9 

Deserted. 9 

616 

He rouiained only a few da_ys in camp at White- 
marsh, when he again moved up toward the Nesha- 
miny in order to protect the mills along that stream, 
many of which were grinding grain for the army. 
Some of them had a large stock of grain and flour on 
hand, and it was feared the enem.y might make a sud- 
den foray and destroy them. In order to prevent the 
cattle, horses and wagons, forage and all kinds of stock 
falling into the hands of the enemy, Washington de- 
termined to liave them collected and driven to the 
American army ; giving certilicates to the owners, so 
that the deserving might, at some future day, receive 
pay. The property of the Tories, in particular, was 
to be taken care of. For the accomplishment of this 
object, General Wayne issued an order to General La- 
cey, dated " Bensalem, March 15, 1778," command- 
ing him to order his troops on this service, and to su- 
perintend the execution thereof. This was a delicate 
duty, for he had to deal witli friends and foes alike, 
but he discharged this, as he did every other duty, to 
ihe entire satisfaction of the commander-in-chief. 

We insert the following order, because it has refer- 
10 



74 (AVE .\\i> ('J[A(;a('THi; (»f .u>iis lackv, 

euce to the eolloctiou of liorses meiitioiied above, and 
also mentions certain villainies practiced upon the in- 
habitants. It is interesting to the people of Bucks 
county, because of the locality where it was written. 

"• r.UIOADE ORDERS. 

'^DoYLESTOWN, March 19th, 1778. 

"• I'd/'o/, Salon; C'ou/ifcj'su/n, AVilniington. 

" Officer of the day, to-morrow, 3Iajor Mitchell. 

"Adjt. of York connty, detail 3 captains, 3 ser- 
geants, 4 corporals, 48 privates. 

"All horses taken from the inhabitants, not received 
by Colonel Butler, are to be sent to Zenas Fell's, where 
a gnard is appointed to have the care of thezn until 
the owners come and take them away. 

"•A party of men is to be sent through the neighbor- 
hood to search for horses, which it is reported some 
villains, belonging to the militia, have concealed in 
order to convey away by stealth, wdien their time ex- 
pires. Should any be found so concealed, they are tO' 
be brought to camp, with the persons in whose custody 
they are found. The persons are to be confined ; who 
shall suffer the severest punishment. 

" No person whatever is to take any horse, on any 
pretense, from any of the inhabitants, on the penalty 
of suffering for tlieii" conduct. 

" The Cleneral expects that neither field nor inferior 
officers will quarter out of camp. 

(Signed) "J. Lacey, Brig. Genl.'' 

About this period the duly ;ilso devolved upon Oeu- 



XAVl: AN)) ClIAUACrKlJ (»;■' .JollX LACEV. ti) 

eral Lacey of aiTestiiig several proniiiient citizens of 
Bucks county, for their adherence to and holdinoj in- 
tercourse with the British. In most cases they were 
liberated on their parol, being bound, witli good securi- 
ties, in several hundred pounds, not t(^ go out of the 
county, nor hold conmiuni(iation with the enemy. We 
do not deem it advisable to mention the names of any 
of these persons, because their descendants are now 
living in the county, are people of good standing, and 
are not responsible for the treason of their ancestors. 

On the 19th of March he placed Lieutenant Kob- 
ert Vanhorn, of ►Southampton township, Bucks county, 
in command of a troop of horse, with the following 
instructions for his guidance: 

"Camp, March 19th, 1778. 

^' Sir:— You are to proceed with your troop toward 
the enemy's lines— to keep on the roads leading to 
Bristol, to Smithtield, the York and the Whitemarsh 
roads. You will keep constant patrols on these roads, 
by night and day ; and if the enemy should come out, 
yoi\ will immediately send me notice. If your parties 
should meet with any j^eople going to market, or any 
persons whatever going to the city, and they endeavor 
to make their escape, you will order your men to fire 
upon the villains. You will leave such on the roads, 
their bodies and their marketing lying together. This 
I wish you to execute on the first offenders you meet, 
that they may" be a warning to others. You are to let 
no person whatever go to the city. You are to stay 
on the lines until further orders. You will send me 
word of TOur movenients, and what information von 



if) iJFi'; AXi) ciiAiiArTKf; of .U'inx lacey. 

t-aii get of tlie enenij, every clay, by one of the troo|/.. 
" I am, sir, your iDost obtlt., 
(8igned) "J. Lacey. 

" To M\\ Vanhohn, 

" Commanding tlie Light-Horse,*' 

During this season General Lacey and liis small party 
A\ere very active in scouring the country for many 
miles around Philadelphia. His force at some times. 
was so much reduced that he was obliged to keep them 
in one body, and headed them himself, in expeditions- 
against the enemy. Ho was closely watched by the 
British and Tories, and, as the spring opened, they 
were more active in their exertions to (;apture him. In 
order to avoid snrprise, he frequently changed his 
camp, and would not remain in some localities more 
than two or three days. By l)eing thus constantly on 
his guard, he escaped the parties of the enemy who 
were sent out to surprise him. 

By the end of March, the intercourse with the enemy 
in Philadelphia had reached such a height, and become 
so injurious to the cause of the colonies, that it was 
held in serious consideration to depopulate the whole 
country between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, 
for fifteen miles ai-ound the city, by compelling the in- 
liabitants, by force, to remove back l)eyond that dis- 
tance. A conference was held on this subject, at the 
Spring House, on the 23d instant, between Generals 
Mcintosh and Lacey, and several field-otiicers of the 
army. They agreed upon the benefit the cause of In- 
dependence would derive from the measure, and Gen- 
(^"al ]Mclntosli was authorized to lay the plnn hefu-o 



LIFE AM) CIIAKA. j'Kli OF JolIX LACEV. i i 

General Washington, on his return to head-quarters. 
General Lacey also addressed him on the same sub- 
ject, on the 29tli, in which communication appears the 
following paragraph, showing the had condition of 
things. 

"Every kind of villainy is carried on b}^ the [jeople 
near the enemy's lines; and, from their general con- 
duct, I am induced to believe but few real friends to 
America are left within ten miles of Philadelphia. 
Those wlio have appeared the least active, have either 
been made prisoners by the enemy, or compelled to fly 
to some other part of the countrj^ for safety. I have 
a number of notorious offenders now confined, who 
were taken by my parties, going to market." 

When the people in the district to be depopulated 
heard what was contemplated, they were much alarm- 
ed, and sent two deputies to General Lacey, whom he 
designates as "R. V." and "Mr. P.," to lay their 
protest before him. They protested strongly against 
the measure, and said teams enough to remove one- 
third of their effects could not be procured in all that 
country ; that it was cruel and distressing to send them 
away from their homes, and, if he would ahow them 
to remain on their farms, they would submit t(j every 
insult from the two armies. Washington, in reply, 
said "the measure is rather desirable than practica- 
ble," and, although he was aware of the good effect it 
would produce, if it could be carried out, he thought 
the obstacles too many and too serious to give his as- 
sent to the measure proposed. 

1)1 liis various scouts ( icneral Laccv luul made sev- 



7s J.irK AND CllAUACTKi; OF JOllN J.ACKV. 

eral prisoners, priiicipallj persons wlio were cai-rjino' 
marketing to the enemy, and some wlio had acted as 
guides to them in their incursions into the country. 
By direction of the Commander-in-Ohief, many of these 
were tried by court-martial, some found guilty and 
sentenced to be executed. One notorious oftender, 
called "J. ]> ," an inhabitant of Smithtield, Phil- 
adelphia county, was sentenced to be hanged, but es- 
caped from the jtrovost guard on the morning of the 
20th of April, and w^ent over to the enemy. He men- 
tions two other persons as notorious characters— c ailed 

"J. M' " and "J. AV- ," both of whom were 

tried. The sentence of many Avas afterwards remitted, 
and they were sent to the Lnnca.ster jail, to be placed 
at hard labor. He convened a court-martial, of whicli 
Lieutenant-Colonel Sidman was president, at North 
Wales, on the 21st of April, to try the otKcer who suf- 
fered the said "J. B ^" to escape, and after a full 

hearing he was found guilty of tlie charge, and sen- 
tenced to be cashiered for such notorious neglect of 
duty. He was a captain in the Northampton county 
militia; and was dismissed from the camp, in accord- 
ance with the finding of the court. This severity was 
deemed advisable, because of late several prisoners had 
been sufiiered to escape, and it was thought necessary 
to make an example of some one who neglected his 
duty. On the 9tli of x4.pril he writes to General Wash- 
ington from Doylestown, and reports a severe skir- 
mish between some of his troops stationed at Smith- 
Held, and a large party of the British. The enemy 
came up on tlu' UKirning of the Sth, with a large force. 



LIH-: AND C'llAtiACTKl.' oF JollX LACl-V. 71) 

and attacked Captain Hnniplirey's command, consist- 
ing of a small party of continentals, before daylight. 
Tliej were supposed to be three hundred strong, 
and took the Americans entirely by surprise. Captain 
Humphre}^ narrowly escai)ed being captured, as he and 
some of his men ran out the back as the British enter- 
ed the front door. He collected a small party hastily, 
and opened a severo tire upon the enemy, who, after 
skirmishing awhile, retired with considerable loss. 
The loss of the Americans w^as one killed, two w^ound- 
ed and one officer taken prisoner. The same morning 
a party of his scouts fell in with a brxly of the enemy, 
on the York road, near Doctor Beimev^ille's, and suf- 
fered a loss of live killed and two badly wounded. 
About the same time, the enemy made an incursion up 
to Bristol and captured Colonel Penrose and some 
other officers, and returned again to the city without 
meeting with any opposition. After General Lacey 
discharged the Northampton county inilitia, whose 
time of service had expired, he moved with his 
whole force toward Philadelphia, on learning that a 
body of the enemy had tiled off from the Germantown 
road toward the York road. He marched as far as 
Edge Hill, when finding the enemy had returned to 
the city, he moved his little command up the York 
road to the Billet, where he encamped. He sent an 
order for the baggage-wagons he had left at North 
Wales to join him at the ]3illet the same night ; but 
failing to start until the next morning, they were met 
on their way down by a party of the enemy's horse by 
which tlicy sustained a loss of one wagon, and eiohf 



80 Lin: AXI) ClIAlJACTEn ol' loUX LAcEV. 

horses, besides having several men severely wounded, 
and five or six made prisoners. 

The time of two- thirds of his men was now about 
to expire, and from the smallness of the nundiers left 
him, he found it absolutely necessary to draw in his 
scouts and to keep his force in one body. Two classes 
of the militia, from the counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, 
York, and Cumberland, were ordered into the field to 
supply the place of those whose time of service had 
expired, but they did not reach camp until the others 
had left. From this cause his force had dwindled 
down, on the 27tli day of April, to fifty-three men fit 
for duty; and in reply to (General Armstrong, wdio 
wrote him on the 21st, making inquiries about his 
numbers, and other matters of interest connected with 
the service, he makes the following statement of his 
forces for some time past. He says: 

"My numbers, after General Potter left me, de- 
creased every day, until tlie_y were reduced to the 
amount mentioned in my former letter. On the 24th 
of February, my returns from York and Cumberland 
amounted to four hundred and fifty, rank and file, fit 
for duty ; JMarch 4tli, I had two hundred and seventy- 
eight j>resent, fit for duty, one hundred and twenty- 
four on command; March 21st, three hundred and fif- 
teen present fit for duty, forty-seven on conmiand ; 
^Uarch 2Gth, one hundred and sixty-two present fit for 
duty, one hundred and forty-eight on command ; 
April 6th, one hundred and fifty-eight present fit for 
dnty, one hundred and ten on command ; Ajiril 19th, 
two liuiidrcd and tiftoon present fit for duty, tliii'ty-six 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 81 

v>n command ; April 27th, fifty-three present fit for 
duty, none on command. 

" This is the trne state of my brigade at these 
different times, except a party of horse from Bucks 
and Philadelpliia counties, of between fifteen and 
twenty, whose times have all expired, and who have 
left me." 

The numbers seem very small, indeed, for the 
amount of duty imposed upon them. They had to 
watch the five main roads leading into the city, with 
a detachment for head-quarters, and another to guard 
the stores at Doylestown ; besides frequent scouts had 
to be sent off in various directions on extra duty, 
11 



UVE ANI» ClIAlfAC'l'KR ()V .(OUK LArilV^ 



CHAPTER IV, 



<L^I-|T the conclusioii of the last cluiptei", we left Geii- 
^^^ eral Lacey, with tlie main body of his troops, in 
camp at the Billet, which place he made his head- 
quarters. Here he was attacked, on tlie morning of 
the first day of ^lay, at daylight, by a large body of 
tlie enemy, suffered a considerable loss in killed, 
wounded and prisoners, and was obliged to retreat 
some distance up the country. 

The Crooked Billet, as the place was then called, 
now known by the name of Hatborougb, was at that 
time a small village of about a dozen or fifteen houses, 
situate on the n»ain road (the York road) leading 
from Philadelphia to New York, and about sixteen 
miles from tlie former cnty. T'he American troops 
were encamped in or near a large wood at the n[)per 
end of the village, on the lann of Baniuel Irvine, and 
now owned by the estate of John ]>eans, deceased. 
In his front it extended some three or four hundred 
yards along the York road, ami a greater distance 
to the east, containing about twenty-live acres. In 



LIFK AXl) (lIAltAcrKi: oF .(ollN I.ACKY. SH 

his rear there was mi open cultivateil country iiioro 
than half a mile, to the county line, with a small body 
of timber about midway to that road. General Lacey 
was quartered in a stone house, about three hundred 
yards in the rear of his encampment, on the opposite 
side of the road. It was then owned by a man named 
Gilbert, but now belongs to John ]\I. Hogeland. 
There is some difference of opinion as to the house 
which Lacey was quartered in ; some contending it 
was that of Asa Comly, some distance higher up 
the road, and then owned by John Tompkins. But 
from the most reliable information we have been able 
to obtain, as well as the situation of the premises, we 
feel confident he w^as quartered in the honse of jMr. 
Hogeland. The wood in front of the encampment 
still shows traces of spoliation by the troops, in order 
to obtain fuel ; the new growth of trees, in the place of 
those cut down, being much smaller than in other parts 
of the wood. He was joined the evening before the 
attack by a body of militia, without arms, who fared 
badly the next day. The exact number of the Ameri- 
cans has never been rightly known, but is supposed 
not to have exceeded four hundred in all, who were 
raw militia. General Lacey took the necessary mea- 
sures to prevent a surprise, and if his orders had 
been carried out by those whose duty it was, he 
would not have been found by the enemy unprepared 
to meet them. The evening before he gave orders 
for the patrols, under two commissioned otheers, of 
whom Lieutenant Neilson was one, to leave the camp 
between two and three o'clock the next morning, 



84 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

scour the country toward the enemy's hues, and report 
to him the first intimation of theif approach. They 
did not leave camp, however, until near day light, 
and when they met the enemy neg-lected to give the 
alarm. Under these circumstances the Americans 
Avei'e taken entirely by surprise. 

The counnander-in-chief ot the British army had, for 
some time, leemed it of importance to attack and 
disperse the force of General Lacey, which had, 
during the winter and spring, done them much harm, 
by stopping the communication between the city and 
countr}", and preventing people carrying their pro- 
duce to market. Major Siuicoe, tlie commander of 
the " Queen's Rangers," an active refugee corps which 
had made many incui-sions into the surrounding coun- 
try, had it in contemplation to surprise Lacey's camp. 
He laid his plans before Colonel Balfour, and asked 
his co-operation. Spies were immediatel}^ sent into 
Lacey's neighborhood, and all his movements closely 
watched ; every information which they obtained 
being immediately communicated to these British 
officers. In a few days after their lirst interview, 
Balfour informed Simcoe that General Lacey was 
to be at the Billet, with his corps, on the first day 
of May, and furnished him such other information 
as would be of service to hini. 8imcoe laid this 
intelligence before General Howe, who approved his 
plans and gave him permission to attack the Ameri- 
cans ; and, from his superior knowledge of the country 
and the roads, upon him devolved the duty of making 
the necessai'v arrangements to insure success. His 



LIFE AND CHAEACTEE OF JOHN LACEY. 85 

plan was, to march with tlie Queen's Ranger's, and 
attack General Lacey on the left and rear, and thus 
cut oif his communication with the upper country ; 
while another body of British troops should ambuscade 
themselves in a wood, on the road from the Billet 
to the Horsham meeting-house, wliich runs in the 
direction of the Valley Forge. It Avas supposed, 
if Lacey should be defeated, he would march toward 
the main army, ard that this ambuscade, placed in 
the wood for that purpose, would effectually cut oif 
his retreat Simcoe was to begin the attack, and, 
when the firing of the Rangers should be heard in 
the rear, another body was to move up in front, thus 
placing the Americans between two fires ; and, acting 
in concert, it was supposed they would be able to 
accomplish their object without nmch dithculty. In 
addition to the Queens' Rangers, under Simcoe, there 
was selected for this enterprise a large detachment 
of light infantry and cavalry, the whole under the 
command of Lieut. -Colonel Abercrombie. Spare 
horses were led, in order to mount the infantry, if 
necessary for greater expedition. Having made 
all the preliminary arrangements, the morning of 
the first day of May was fixed upon as the time for 
attack, and the troops ordered to hold themselves 
in readiness. 

The British troops left Philadelphia the afternoon 
before, under the direction of guides who were well 
'acquainted with the country. They marched out 
the Second Street road, and up the JMiddle road to 
the village of Huntingdon, v>'here the force separated. 



86 I.IFK ANIJ CJIAKACTKR OF JOHN LACEA'. 

The main body, composed of the light infantry and 
most of the cavah'y, commanded by Abercrombie 
in person, struck across to the York road, and so 
on up to Horsham, in order to form the proposed 
ambuscade, and also attack Lacey in front. Simcoe 
continued his march up the Middle road, occasional Ij^ 
making a detoui- to avoid such places as Lacey's men 
might chance to be at, thus prolonging the distance 
he had to march. He turned to tlie left into the 
Byberry road, along which he marched to what is 
now known as Lloyd's Corner, when he again changed 
his direction, by turuing into the road which runs 
from the Willow (rrove to the county line. At the 
lirst cross-roads, where Archil>ald Banes used to 
live, he again turned to the left, and came out into 
the county line a short distance above the eight-square 
school-house. Just above this point he struck across 
the fields, on the farm of Isaac Boileau, the nearest 
way to the Billet. The instructions to Captain Kerr's 
division, which marched with Major Simcoe, were 
to seize and barricade Lacey's quarters, and hold them 
as a rallying point, in case of any discomfiture. They 
were exceedingly anxious to capture Lacey, and 
placed spies in the apple-trees around his quarters 
to watch his movements: but, fortunately, he escaped 
without being discovered. Simcoe, during the night, 
fell in with Captain Thomas's company of armed 
refugees, which he would certainly have mistaken for 
Americans, and attached them, had lu; not received 
information about twilight that they were in the 
neighborhood. But for this knowledge, a serious 



LIFE AND C'HARACTEU OF JOHN EACEY. 87 

episode to the British might have happened. Both 
parties marched as rapidly as possible, in order to 
reach then- destination while under cover of darkness, 
aiid commence the attack at or near the same time. 
Simcoe marched with such caution, that he escaped 
all Lacey's patrols; but daylight appeared when he 
was yet some distance from the American camp. The 
officer who commanded the party in ambush met one 
of the patrols within two miles of Lacey's camp, 
who, when fired upon, fled in a contrary direction. 
The patrol which left camp about daylight was 
divided into three parts ; that under Lieutenant Neil- 
Bon took the right hand road from the Billet, leading 
to Horsham, and on which the ambush was placed. 
After proceeding al)out a mile and a half, they tirst 
saw the enemy's light-horse, when they took post 
in a wood to tire upon them when they should come 
within reach. Soon they saw a party of foot following, 
when Lieutenant Neilson ordered a soldier, luimed 
John ]Morrow, to return to camp and give the alarm. 
He did so, and when he arrived there he found the 
men already paraded behind the camp, and fell into 
ranks with them; he was too late to save them 
from surprise. Another scout, which went in a different 
direction, was commanded by Ensign Laughlin. 
They marched about two miles without discovering 
any thing of the enemy ; wlien they returned 
and were close to the camp when they first heard the 
firing. Abercrombie, fearing he should not be in 
time to support Simcoe, detached the cavalry and 
mounted infantry to the place of ambuscade, in 



88 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

advance, and with the main body marched up the 
York road, to attack the ilmericans in front. From 
the manner in which Lacey was snrrounded, Amber- 
crombie mast have detached a party up the Easton 
road to turn his right flank and fall npon his rear, 
in concert with the Queen's Rangers. They propably 
came into the York road where the county line crosses 
it, and were the cavalry which attacked him on the 
left flank, soon after he commenced his retreat. He 
mentions, in his dispatch to General Armstrong, that 
one party of the enemy passed the cross-roads in his 
rear before his scout got there. 

The first intimation General Lacey had of the 
approach of the eneuiy was about daylight in the 
morning, when they were within al)Out two hundred 
yards of his camp. He was in bed at the time, and 
had barely time to dress, mount his horse and join his 
men, before they were within musket-shot of liis 
quarters. He discovered the enemy in front and 
rear, near the same time, who opened a fire upon 
him, some being sheltered behind fences and in houses, 
His situation was a critical one, and as there was no 
time left for speculation as to t]ie course he should 
pursue, he was obliged to act upon the emergency 
of the occasion. Seeing himself almost surrounded, 
and the enemy's force mnch superior to his own, he 
deemed it injudicious to make a stand against them, 
and therefore ordered a retreat. J To moved in 
cohuuns to the left, in the direction of a wood, with 
his wagons following in his rear, across open fields and 
in fall view of the enemy, wlio were in pursuit. He 



lAVE AND CtllAKACTEll OF JOHN LACEY. 89 

relates that when he emerged into tlie open fields, 
And a large bodj of the enemy's horse appeared in 
front, his men gave him an anxious look, as much as 
to ask him what they should do. He told them to 
"*' deliver their fire and push on." After marching a 
short distance, his flanking parties first began to 
exchange shots with the enemy, whicli grew warmer 
and warmer as they advanced, and soon he was hotly 
engaged. He moved on across the fields, in tolerable 
order, until he reached the wood, where he was 
obliged to make a stand, to open his way, for by this 
time all the parties of the enemy had come u[), and 
iiow attacked him on all sides. In his report of the 
action to Washington, he says; "I kept moving 
on till I made the wood, when a party of both 
horse and foot came up the Byberry road, and attacked 
my right flank— the party from the Billet fell upon 
my rear— the horse from the rear of ray camp came 
upon my left flank, and a body of horse appeared 
directy in front." The enemy now began to concen- 
trate all their force upon the wood, and being still 
much exposed, and having suflfered considerable loss, 
General Lacey thought it would be safer to move on, 
wdiicli he did with the loss of all his baggage, which 
fell into the enemy's hands. It was Simcoe with 
his rangers and cavahy Mdio appeared on Lacey's 
right ^flank and front, about the time he reached the 
wood. When he had quitted the main road and 
struck across the fields, to march directly to the Billet, 
•and was informing the oflicers of the plan of attack, 
lie heard firing in the direction of Abercorabie's detach- 
12 



90 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JolIN LACEY, 

ment, and exclaimed, "The dragoons have discovered 
ns," and marched forward at a rapid pace to join 
in the action. He came upon the riglit flank of the 
retreating Americans, as it has heen ah'cady men- 
tioned, in liis march intercepting small parties of 
the flying militiamen, who were mostly killed. While 
he pnshed on for the main body of the Americans, 
he dispatched thirty dragoons to intercept the baggage 
of General I^acey, which they succeeded in doing, 
as it was crossing the fields. As the Americans were 
marching through the wood Major Simcoe endeavored, 
by a ruse, de gueri-e, to induce them to lay down their 
arms. He rode up within hailing distance, and com- 
manded them to surrender. As they did not stop, 
he next gave the commands, in a loud tone, " make 
ready" — ^" present" — " fire" — hoping to deceive them 
into the belief that he had a large body of troops with 
him. In this he was disappointed ; they moved on as 
before, and paid no other attention to him than to bow 
their heads at the word — "fire." They continued to 
retreat, skirmishing as they marched, for nearly two 
miles, the British hanging upon their flanks and rear, 
and now and then a man falling — killed or wounded. 
They passed across the farm of Thomas Craven, now 
owned by Mr. Finney, thence through what is now 
the village of Johnsville, in Warminster township, 
Bucks county, and so on nearly to Hart's Corner, 
on the Bristol road, Avhere they suddenly turned to 
the left into a wood, and thus escaped the pursuit. 
Thence they struck across the country to the York 
rord, which they came into just below the Cross Road&, 



LIFE AND CHAItACTEU OF JUlliN LACEV. ^)1 

now Harts ville, and moved down toward the Billet, 
hoping to find the enemy, in the hour of victory, off 
their guard, and thus be able to gain some advantage 
over them. They, however, found upon their ar- 
rival at the scene of action that the enemy had retired, 
carrying with them most of their killed and wounded. 
The British followed the retreating Americans until 
they made the sudden turn to the left, when they 
gave up the pursuit and returned to the field to 
gather up the spoils and prepare to return to the city. 
The enemy behaved in the most cruel and inhuman 
manner to our wounded men, whom they found 
lying on the field, many of whom they mangled 
shockingly and burnt in buckwheat straw. The latter 
circumstance, for the sake of humanity and the credit 
of the English name, we would fain disbelieve, but 
there is such undoubted evidence to sustain it, that we 
are fully convinced of its truth. On the farm of 
Thomas Craven, in a field near the county line, was a 
large heap of buckwheat straw. Garret Kroeson, 
deceased, who then lived in the neighborhood, says a 
skirmishing party of Americans, much fatigued, crept 
into this straw about sunrise in the morning, when a 
Tory who knew their secret resting place, informed the 
British. They set fire to the straw while the Ameri- 
cans were asleep, burnt some to death on the spot, 
and others were so badly burned they died in a short 
time. They also set fire to the wounded, many ot 
whom had dragged themselves to the straw for shelter, 
while they were yet alive, and caused them to expire 
in the most excrutiating agony. We have abundant 



92 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACET. 

proof of this. General Lacej, in his letter to General 
Armstrong, of the date of the 7th of May, speaks of 
this cirenmstance in the following manner : " Many 
of the nnfortnnate who fell into the merciless hands or 
the British, were more cruelly and inhumanly butchered.- 
Some were set on fire with buckwheat straw, and 
others had their clothes burnt on their backs. Some' 
of the surviving sufferers say they saw the enemy set 
lire to tlie wounded while yet alive, who struggled to- 
put it out but were too weak, and expired under this 
torture. I saw those lying in the buckwheat straw — 
they made a most melancholy appearance. Others I 
saw, who, after being wounded with a ball, had received 
near a dozen wounds with cutlasses and bayonets. I 
can find as many witnesses to the proof of these 
cruelties as there were people on the spot, and that 
was no small number who came as spectators." The 
loss of the Americans was twentj'-six killed, and eiglit 
or ten wounded, most of whom fell wdiile marching 
across the open fields; several pj-isoners were taken, 
but it is not known how many. The loss of the 
British could never be ascertained, as they carried 
the killed and wounded with them to the city — it 
must, however have been considerable. One field 
ofiicer is snpposed to have fallen, and another officer 
was- severely wouaided in the knee, near the house 
of Thomas Craven, into which he was carried. Major 
Simcoe admits that some- of his rangers were wounded, 
as was also the horse of his orderly hussar. He like- 
wise mentions that the shoe-buckles of one Captain 
McGill probably saved the life of that ofiicer. General 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 93 

Lacey states that he captured two of their horses, and 
that five were left dead on the field. Of the Americans, 
two ofticers of the patj-ols were killed and also a Captain 
Downey, who was horribly mangled, and whose 
obituary notice we insert. The baggage captured 
from the Americans, was taken to Philadelphia and 
sold, and the proceeds divided among the men of 
the expedition. It yielded one dollar to each man. 

The following obituary notice of Captain Downey 
appeared in the Pennsylvania Packet, in Ma3% 1778: 

"Plumstead, Bucks County, May 4th, 1778. 
"Among the slain near the Crooked Billet, on Friday 
the first instant, fell the gallant Captain Juo. Downey, 
late school master in Philadelphia, whose worth entitles 
him to a place in the annals of America. He took an 
active and early ])art in our struggle for liberty. He 
went as a volunteer to Jersey last winter was a yean 
where he behaved gallantly in the battles of Trenton 
and Princeton. He being chosen captain of a 
company of Philadelphia militia, served his tour 
of duty, two months, last summer, at Billingsport,, 
when, on account of his superior knowledge of mathe- 
matics, the Executive Council employed him to make 
a military survey of the river Delaware, which he 
performed with great exactness. Since which time he 
has performed many very important services to hi& 
country, a love to which prompted him to attempt 
any thing which promised its welfare. He lately 
acted as an assistant commissarj^ and in this capacity 
was with our brave militia when attacked last Friday, 
From his knowii readiness to fight and bleed for 
his country', it is more than probable when the attack 
began he made the attempt to join his countrymen when 
he was shot throuo-h the shoulder, and that he lav in 



94 LIFE AND CHAKACTEK OF JOHN LACEY. 

his blood until the enemy returned, when they 
dispatched him in a cruel manner, for his body 
was found with one of his hands almost cut off, his 
head slashed in several places, his skull cut through, 
his brains coming out at his nose and scattered all 
around. He was an enlightened patriot, an affection- 
ate friend, a gallant soldier, a fond husband and 
an indulgent parent. He had no inheritance to 
leave, as his little property was left in Philadelphia ; 
but he has left a sorrowful widow, and five helpless 
children, in very indigent circumstances. They are 
worthy the notice of the charitable." 

The dead were collected and buried in one grave, 
near where they fell, in a field along the county line, 
and a short distance above Craven's Corner. The 
wounded were carried to the house of Thomas Craven, 
near l)y, where they were well taken care of, 
and remained until they recovered, or were able 
to be removed to their own homes. After General 
Lacey had paid the last sad rites of Inunanity 
to the dead, and had his wounded made comfortable, 
he took up the line of maich for the Cross-Roads, 
now Hartsville, v;here he encamped on the north 
bank of Neshaminy creek, which he considered 
a very safe position, and of easy defense. 

When the British returned from the pursuit, the^^ 
rode up to several houses in the village and asked 
for bread and cheese, but did not tarry a long time, 
from fear that the Americans might rally and attack 
them. They plundered some of the houses, and 
spread great consternation among the inhabitants. 
A small party of them went to the house of David 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 95 

Marple, a very aged man, and grandfather of Col. 
David Marple, of Warminster township, Bucks county, 
and ordered him and his family to catch the chickens 
for them and have them cooked. He told them he 
was nnable to do it, when they excused Inm, and 
ordered his sons and daugliters to catch them, which 
they were obliged to do. They even compelled them 
to take the setting hens from their nests. 

The last British soldier was killed in a wood a short 
distance above what was then known as Hart's Corner, 
on the east side of the Bristol road. He was chasing 
an American named Vandyke, and had come witliin a 
few yards of him, while running through the wood. 
He snapped one pistol at him, which missed lire. 
Vandyke, in his alarm, seems not to have recollected 
that he carried a loaded musket on his shoidder, but 
was retreating as rapidly as possible, with a fair pros- 
pect of having his brains blown out by his pursuer. 
When the dragoon was about drawing his second 
pistol, it accurred to the Anierican that his gun was 
loaded, and might in this critical posture of affairs do 
him some service, Thereupon, without any delay, he 
took deliberate aim at the Englishuian and shot him 
dead ; then mounted his horse and rode away to join 
the main body of Americans. This incident used to be 
related by Captain Baird, now deceased, who was an 
officer in the action, and we think an eyewitness to 
the affair. 

At this period, there lived in the neighborhood of 
the Billet two men named Van Bnskirk, both of whom 
bore the title of Captain ; one was noted for l)eing a 



96 LIFE AND ClIAEACTER OF JOHN LAC'ET. 

stauneli Whig, and the other was quite as violent aTory* 
The British knew only of the Whig, andhadlong been 
anxious to capture him, as he had made himself very 
obnoxious by his activity in the cause of the colonies. 
While they were burning the buckwheat straw, many 
of the neighbors collected there, to see what was going 
on, and among the number was the Tory Captain Van 
Buskirk. He was known to those present, and some 
one of them called him by name. A British officer 
hearing this, immediately asked him if he was Captain 
Van Bnskirk. Ho replied that he was, no doubt 
feeling pleassd that he was thus noticed, and looked for 
some compliment for his services to King Greorge. Alas ! 
the poor man was most sadly mistaken, for he was 
immedixately arrested and placed in irons, being 
mistaken for the other captain of the same name. He 
asserted his innocence again and again, and assured 
them he was the wrong person, and not the Whig Van 
Buskirk, whom they wanted. But his protestations 
had no other effect than to raise a laugh at his expense ; 
they could not be caught in any such trap as that, in 
•order to allow an arch-rebel to escape, and therefore 
they held on to liinu His neighbors smiled but said 
nothing in his behalf — thinking the joke was entirely 
too good an one to be rectified. They hurried him otf 
to Philadelphia with them, where they kept him in jail 
tbr some time, and treated him very badly. At last 
some persons in the city, who knew him, interested 
themselves in his behalf, and convinced his captors he 
was the wrong person, and not the one they wanted. 
Upon this they set him at lil)erty, and made many 



TJFE AND CHAKACTEIt OF JCtHN LACEY. 97 

apologies fur the injury tliey had done him. But it did 
not cure the wound. He returned home, and ever 
after was as stanch a Whig as his namesake. The 
medicine had worked a radical cure. 

Soon after the British had turned into the cross- 
a:oad at Lloyd's Corner, they stopped at a farm house — 
lately owned by Captain Kelley of the navy — and roused 
up the inmates, to procure a guide to show them the 
nearest way to the Billet ; they were behind their time, 
and were in great haste. Ayoung man, living with the 
family, put his head out the window and demanded 
their business. They told him he must show them the 
road to the Billet, and ordered him to dress and come 
down immediately. He refused to go, until they 
threatened to shoot him if he did not comply with 
their demand. He told them if he should go, and the 
Americans caught him, they would certainly kill him, 
and that he could only show them tlie way on condition 
that they would furnish him with a fast horse, to 
enable him to escape if his countrymen should attempt 
to capture him. This they agreed to, and mounted 
him on a fleet animal and placed him at the head of 
the column. He soon found the horse he rode was a 
very fast one, and watching his opportunity, when he 
was a short distance in advance, put whip to him and 
made his escape. They fired their pistols at him, 
which only increased his speed, but they did not dare 
pursue him, for fear of falling into an ambush of the 
Americans ; he therefore got olf without any difficulty. 
This was related to the writer by the late Judge Watts 
■of Bucks county, who saw the man, about daylight, 
13 



98 LIFK AND CUAIiAC'TER OF JOHN LACEY, 

riding along tlie road wliicli runs from the county 
line to the Bristol road at the top of his speed. He 
was witliout hat or coat ; and my informant did not 
know what was the matter then, but learned the cause 
of it in a few days. AVhen Judge Watts saw him he 
was passing through what is now the village of Davis- 
ville. An ofRcer of Simcoe's column left his horse at 
the house of Isaac Boileau, a short distance above the 
eight-square schoolhouse, on the county line, in 
charge of a negro slave named Moore, and threatened 
terrible things against him if he should let any of the 
" ReheW'' take him l)efore his return. Tn a short time 
a retreating American, hard pressed, came that way, 
and demanded the horse ; the negro refused to give 
him up until the soldier made some demonstration of 
enforcing liis modest recpest, when he surrendered 
him. The American mounted him and rode away 
across the fields. Not long afterward the English 
returned, and the officer came to inquire for his horse, 
which he saw was gone. The poor black was much 
alarmed, and as well as he could told him the Ameri- 
can had forced him to give the horse to him. The 
Englishman was in a terrible rage when he learned 
what had taken place, and immediately put the negro 
under arrest, and carried him along with tlie troops ; 
but he was released after traveling a few miles, and 
returned home in safety. This was related to the 
writer by an eyewitness to the transaction. 

The last American killed was at Hart's Corner. In 
company with another man, named Cooper, he had 
retreated alon^- the road which runs from Johnsville to 



LIFE AND CHAKACTEli UF JOHN LACEV. 99 

the Bristol road. The main body was in advance of 
them, and they were sitting side by side on the fence at 
the end of the road, resting themselves before going 
into the wood, when two British dragoons, nn observed 
by them, raised the hill at the house in which General 
White used to live, and approached within range of 
t^eir carbines. One of them fired his piece at them, 
the ball from which struck Cooper's companion, who 
fell off the fence, dead. Cooper jumped over into the 
wood, and escaped. The blood remained on the fence 
for many years. 

Isaac Tompkins relates that he was a small boy at the 
time of the battle, but remembers the day very distinctly. 
He then lived with his father, in the building in which 
Mr. Fretz now keeps store in Hatborough. He had 
just got up, about sunrise in the morning, when his 
sister, who had been sent into the garden to plant 
cucimibers, came running into the house shouting "the 
British are coming," when tliey looked out and saw a 
large body of red-coated dragoons marching up the 
road. These were part of Abercrombie's command, 
who made the attack in front. 

The late Jonathan Delany used to mention a 
circumstance he witnessed. He was living at the time 
in Frankford, through which one detachment of the 
British troops passed on their return to the city. Among 
the prisoners w^as an old man, wlio wore on his shoes a 
pair of large silver l)uckles. They attracted the atten- 
tion of a soldier, who, as they were marching through 
the street, left the ranks, and stooped down to tear 
them off. The old man, who was not disposed to l»e 



100 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

robbed of his property, strnck the thief on the heaJ 
with his fist, and knocked him over on to the ground. 
The other soldiers who witnessed the act gave a loud' 
shout in approval of the prisoner's courage. 

Nathan Marple, father of Col. Marple, was then a 
lad of about sixteen years of age, and lived with his- 
father in the Billet. He heard the firing early in the 
morning, and supposing Lacey's men were getting 
ready to dinll, started across the field to go to them. 
He had not got far, however, when he saw the British 
dragoons riding across the fields toward the camp; 
they had cloaks on, and he could not see their red- 
coats. He took warning at what he saw, and returned 
home. He further relates, that he saw an oflicer ride 
some distance in front of his men, halt, rise up in his 
stirrups, and look all around as if he were reconnoiter- 
ing. He immediately heard the report of a gun, and 
saw the officer fall to the ground. The horse, instead 
of running away as might be supposed at the loss of 
his rider, wheeled around and cantered back to his 
company. 

Mr. Safety Maghee, of Northampton township, 
Bucks county, a gentleman who died a few years ago 
nearly ninety-six years of age, gave us the following 
as his recollection of the action at the Crooked Billet. 
He says : — 

"In 1778 I was living with my uncle, Thomas 
Folwell, in Southampton township, in the house where 
Horatio G. Yerkes now lives. On the morning of 
the battle of the Billet, now Hatborough, I heard the 
jirincr verv distinctly, and a black man named Harry 



LitE AND CIIAKACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 101 

and myself concluded we would go and see what was 
going on. I was then about thirteen years old. We 
started from the house and went directly toward where 
the firing was. When we came near where Johns- 
ville now stands, we heard a heavy volley there, which 
brought us to a halt. The firing was in the woods. 
The British were in pursuit of our militia and chased 
them along the road that leads from Jolmsville to the 
Bristol road, and also through the fields from the 
Street road to the Bristol road. They overtook the 
militia in the woods at the corner of the Street road 
and the one that leads across to the Bristol roatl. 
When the firing had ceased, we continued on and 
found thi*ee womided militia-men near the wood ; 
they appeared to have been wounded by the sword, 
and were much cut and hacked. When we got to 
them they were groaning heavily. They died in a 
little while, and I understood they were buried on the 
spot. They appeared to be Germans. We then 
passed on, and in a field near by we saw two horses 
lying dead — they were British. One ol them was shot 
in the head, and the gun had been put so near that the 
hair was scorched. While we were on the field, 
Harry picked up a cartouch box that h" a been dropped 
or torn ofi^ the wearer. Shortly after, we met some of 
the militia returning, and when they saw the black 
fellow with the cartouch box, they became very much 
enraged, and accused him of robbing the dead and 
took it away from him. These dead horses were on 
the farm of Col. Joseph Hart. Soon pfter this we 
retnrncd home. The last man wo,s killed on the 



102 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

Bristol road, at the end of the road that comes across 
from Johnsville. A British officer who was woimded 
in the battle was taken to the house of Samuel Irvin 
who lived near bj. His wounds were dressed tliere, 
and he afterward returned with the troops to Phila- 
delphia. This aifair created a good deal of excitement 
in tlie neighborhood." 

The news of the battle spread far and near over the 
country in a few hours, and many of the inhabitants 
were so much alarmed they hardly dared venture 
from home that day, until they were aasm'ed the British 
had returned to Philadelphia. A day or two before, a 
child of Samuel Flack, who lived in Doylestown, and 
kept tavern where Corson's hotel now stands, had died, 
and was to be buried that day at Neshaminy. The 
people in the neighborhood were so much afraid that 
only four persons would venture with the corps to the 
place of burial — two young men and two young 
women, one of whom was a IMiss Mary Doyle, after- 
ward a Mrs. Mitchell, and mother of Mrs. Nathaniel 
Cornell, of Doylestown. They were all mounted on 
horseback, the men being armed, and carrying the 
coffin ; and they obtained the fastest horses they could, 
so they might escape from the enemy if they should be 
pursued. When they reached the burying ground, 
the two young men dismounted and buried the body, 
while the young women remained on horseback, to be 
ready to fly at the first alarm ; after this duty was 
performed they remounted and hurried home as rapidly 
as possible. They could see the smoke from the 
burning buckwheat-straw as thev rode alone;. 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OP JOHN LACEY. 103 

Many have blamed General Lacey for the affair at 
the Billet ; and those who were hostile to the cause of 
the colonies endeavored to injure his reputation, by 
making him responsible for the loss he sustained. 
This attempt, however, failed, and his conduct receiv^ed 
the approbation of his superiors. His situation was 
truly a critical one, and nothing but the coolest judg- 
ment, and most determined bravery of himself and 
men, saved them from an entire defeat, and the cap- 
ture of his wdiole force. Throughout the whole 
affair he shows himself to have been a man of more 
than ordinary capacity for command, and justly 
covered himself with fresh laurels. In no wdse is he 
answerable for the sudden surprise. The place he 
selected for his camp was an eligible one, and of 
some natural defense ; and he took every precaution 
the evening before to obtain the earliest information 
of the approach of the enemy. The officers to whom 
he had intrusted the duty of patroling the roads 
leading to his camp disobeyed his orders, and instead 
of being out upon duty were in camp ; and afterward, 
when they did discover the enemy in time to alarm the 
camp, they neglected to do so, and hence the surprise 
was complete. The most vigilant officers are liable 
thus to be deceived by their subalterns, and it would 
be unjust indeed to blame the commander f )r such 
inattention to duty on the part of his subordinates. 
From this cause General Wayne was surprised at the 
Paoli, the night after the battle of Brandywine ; and 
many other distinguished commanders have suffered 
severe losses in the same manner. The only 2:ood 



104 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 

rule by which to judge military officers is by what 
they accomplish ; and applying this standard to 
General Lacey his actions will bear the closest scrutiny. 
His camp of four hundred men was surprised and 
surrounded, at daylight, by a force of more than three 
times as many British troops— he had raw militia — the 
€nemy were veterans, inured to war. In spite of this 
disparity of force and circumstances, he formed his 
little Spartan band into columns, and cut his way 
through the enemy, with the small loss of only about 
thirty-five men killed and wounded. He had to 
march a considerable distance across on open country, 
and fought every foot of the way, being pressed at the 
same time in front and rear, and on both flanks. We 
are astonished he was able to extricate himself at all 
from his perilous situation ; and it seems quite like a 
miracle he did not fall into the enemy's hands with 
his whole force. So highly was his conduct ap- 
preciated by the Executive Council, that Timothy 
Matlack, Esq., the Secretary, wrote him on the 16th of 
May to the following effect : " Your conduct is highly 
approved ; and your men have justly acquired great 
reputation by their bravery." This commendation 
had some meaning ; and, in addition, all the well 
wishers of the cause of liberty applauded the conduct 
of himself and men. The enemy also tacitly acknowl- 
edged his superior skill and courage, for Lieut. Col. 
Simcoe, in his account of the expedition, says they 
failed in the object they had in view, which was to 
capture General Lacey and his whole force. Hence, 
the British, in reality, sufi'ered a defeat, althougli they 



l.TFE AND C'llAKACTEU OF JOIllS LACEY. 105 

iremained masters of the field. With this evideiute 
'before them, who will deny to General Lacey great 
honor as a brave and skillful officer ? 

As soon as General Lacey was fixed in his new 
■camp at the Neshaminy, he ordered a general court- 
martial to try the officers of his scouts for disobedience 
of orders and neglect of duty on the morning of the 
surprise and attack at tlie Billet. It convened at 
camp, May the 4th, 1778, and was composed of twelve 
officers ; Colonel Smith was president, and WilHam 
Findley, afterward a distinguished politician and 
governor of the State, was the judge-advocate. The 
two officers tried, were Lieutenant Neilson and Ensign 
Laughlin : the former was found guilty of the charge 
laid against him, and sentenced to be casliered, which 
was carried into efi:*ect ; the latter was acquitted and 
ordered to his regiment for duty. Besides these two 
officers several persons were tried before the same 
court-martial, for various offenses — some being soldiers, 
and others citizens who were charged with holding 
intercourse with the enemy. Several were found 
.guilty, some of whom were sentenced to be whipped, 
and others to be confined in the jail at Lancaster. 

General Lacey continued his camp at the Neshaminy, 
near the Cross-Roads, until he was relieved from the 
command. General Washington writes him from the 
Valley Forge, on the 11th day of May, announcing to 
him the return of General Potter from the westward, 
who was appointed to supercede him in the command 
of the Pennsylvania militia, and requests that he will 
4-emain with him. a few davs, to give him some knowl- 
14 



106 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY, 

edge of the roads and make him acquainted with those 
on whom he could rely as guides, for intelligence, etc. 
Lacey, as he w^as desired by the commander-in-chief, 
remained a few days in camp, wdth General Potter, 
to give him the necessary information to enable him to 
operate with effect in the surrounding country. Gen. 
Potter shortly afterward marched with the militia nearer 
to Philadelphia, and left Col. Watts, from Cumberland, 
in command of the troops in Bucks county. Lacey left 
camp the 5th of June, after returning thanks to the 
troops that had been under his command for their good 
conduct, and retired to his home in Buckingham. 
Although he had now no command according to his 
rank, he was as active as ever in the cause of his 
country. He continued to discharge the important 
duties of sub-lieutenant of the county of Bucks, and 
exerted himself to keep up an efficient organization of 
the militia, and also to rouse up his fellow-citizens to 
sustain tlie cause of their country against the common 
enemy. 

In the spring of 1778, the British government began 
to fear for the safety of the royal army cpiartered in 
Philadelphia, and therefore ordered the English com- 
mander to evacuate that city and retire to New York. 
They crossed the Delaware into New" Jersey, the 18th 
day of June, and took up the line of march for Amboy. 
Washington, from his winter-quarters at the Valley 
Forge, closely watched the movements of the enemy, 
and, as soon as they made preparations to pass the 
Delaware, put his army in march to intercept them as 
they crossed the Jerseys. The more eifectually to 



LIFE AND CHARACTER UF JOHN LACEY. 



101 



harass the retreating British, Washington called out a 
large body of the militia of Pennsylvania and New 
Jei^sey, to hang upon their rear ; and requested Colonel 
Kirkbride, the lieutenant of Bucks, to have those from 
that county ready for this duty. For this purpose 
General Lacey addressed a circular to each one of the 
colonels of his brigade, urging them to assemble their^ 
reo-iments as soon as possible, and march in pursmt ot 
the enemy. He met them at Doylestown, the place ot 
rendezvous, and did all in his power to hasten their 
departure for the scene of action; but we have not 
been able to obtain any information as to the service 
he or his brigade performed at this trying period in 
our revolutionary struggle. In the summer of '78, 
while he was engaged in the arduous military duties 
that devolved upon him, he received a civil appoint- 
ment of responsibihty from the Executive Council. It 
was that of one of the commissioners for the county 
of Bucks, on confiscated estates ; who were required 
by law to seize and dispose of the " personal estate and 
eftects of those who had abandoned their familes or 
habitations and joined the army of the king of Great 
Britain." He continued to discharge the duties of this 
appointment until the fall, when he was elected a 
member of the Assembly. He took his seat in Novem- 
ber, and made an active and useful member ol the 
Legislature. During this time he applied himself 
closely to his studies, thus endeavoring to make up the 
deficiency of his youth; but he allowed nothing to 
interfere with his official duties, and it was only during 
his leisure moments that he pursued his studies. 



108 LIFE AND CHARACTEK OF JOHN f-ACEY. 

Abont this period a fierce party ^^'arfare arose in the 
State in regard to a change in the Constitution of 1776, 
which had many bitter opponents at the time of its 
adoption. The parties at this day were divided on 
this question ; and so bitter were many of the op- 
ponents of the Constitution, tliat they even refused to 
accept office under it. This was the case witb 
General Cadwallader, who refused the commission 
of brigadier-general in the Pennsylvania militia. He 
thought the Constitution was not li1)eral enough in its 
provisions, and lience opposed its adoption ; which 
opposition was contimied until they succeeded in 
having a new one formed, in 1790. The people of 
Bucks county were opposed to any change, and 
appear to have had a good deal of feeling on the 
subject. Soon after General Lacey took his seat as a 
member of tlie Assembly, he was written to l)y one 
George Wall, of Solel)ury, who says, among other 
things, that hv. is well informed, " if any memljer 
(meaning tlu)se from Bucks) attempts such a measure, 
he will incur the displeasures of all truelndependenters, 
to such a degree that lie will be in danger of being 
tarred and feathered, or plunged into the Delaware." 
A remonstrance, numerously signed, was forwarded to 
General Lacey, against any change in tlie Constitution ; 
but what course he took, Ave do not know positively, 
though it may be presumed he opposed the measure, 
as sucli was the sense of the people whom he repre- 
sented. 

He appears to have returned home to Buckingham 
the latter part of December, and remained there nntil 



LIFE AND CHARAC1EK OF JOIIX r,ACEY. lOi) 

fhe beginning of February, when he again went to 
Phihiclelphia, to attend to his official duties. While at 
home he had an opportunity to do further service to- 
his country, iu counteracting tlie efforts of several 
Tories to defraud the government. The year before 
('78) Washington found it necessary, in order to 
mount his cavalry for the (coming campaign, and also 
to supply the artillery and baggage-wagons, to order 
the inhabitants to bring in their horses on certain 
days, and at pla(-es named, to have them appraised and 
turned over to the quarter-master, who was to give a 
receipt and certificate for tliem, and wliich were to be 
paid for at some future time. At tlie close of the 
year Captain ]\I'Calla was ordered to pay for the 
horses taken in this manner for the use of the Con- 
tinental army. Many persons, whose horses had been 
taken from them going to or returning from Philadel- 
phia, wdiile the British were there, and which were 
confiscated by the express order of (renei-al A^^Tshing- 
ton, took advantage of the ignorance of those who 
were to pay of the circumstances under which they 
were taken, and presented their claims. Their 
animals were appraised by some of their Tory neigh- 
bors, and papers made out to suit the case, and in 
most instances they were valued at two or three time& 
their worth. Tliis system of contemplated fraud upon 
the government came to the knowledge of General 
Lacey, who exposed the nuitter, and prevented it 
being carried out. Most, if not all, the horses which 
had been confiscated were captured by the order of 
Lacey, and therefore he knew to whom they had 



110 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

belonged, and how far tlie owners were gnilty of 
holding intercourse with the enemy. As soon as he 
learned what M^as on foot, he wrote a full account of 
the matter to the proper officers, and thus put them on 
their guard. His timely warning saved the country 
several thousand dollars, which would have gone into 
the pockets of some of the rankest Tories in the 
county, as a premium for their treason. 

During the year 1779, General Lacey was chosen a 
member of the Executive Council of the State, then the 
highest executive authority, and continued as such for 
that and the t\vo following years. He immediately 
took his seat in that body, and there, as well as in 
every other pul)lic station that he filled, was active and 
useful. He was almost constantly in Philadelphia, 
attending the sessions of the council, until August of 
the following year, when he was again called to 
discharge more active duties in the field. The spring 
and summer of '80 were a dark and trying period for 
America. The enemy had almost overrun the South, 
and brought nearly the whole country under subjection. 
Charleston fell on the 12th of JMay ; and the defeat of 
General Gates, at Camden, on the 15th of August 
following, completed the triumph of the British. In 
the North things also wore a discouraging appearance, 
and Washington was beset with pressing difficulties on 
every side. The army was nuich reduced in strength 
by the expiration of the time of a large number of the 
men, who had only been enlisted for a short period. 
When their time was uj^ they invariably went home, 
and no inducement could prevail upon them to remain; 



LIFE AND CHAHACTER OF JOHN LACEY. Ill 

and the evils of short enlistments were now more fully 
experience than ever. In addition to this, the military 
chest was empty, and the ai-niy in want of provisions, 
which could not beprocured without being talcen from 
the inhabitants by force. The depreciation of the 
paper money of Congress had so much reduced the 
credit of the government, that persons were not 
wiUing even to make contracts for the supply of the 
army ; and, at this time, the troops were in actual 
want. At length the discontent broke out into open 
mutiny, and several regiments paraded with their arms, 
witli the intention of marching home, but were finally 
prevailed upon to remain. The Enghsh commander 
made every eifort to induce the discontented to join 
his standard, l)ut without effect ; although their 
sufferings were great, they had not become so lost to 
every sense of duty as to be guilty of rank treason. 
During this period of great trial the State authorities 
of Pennsylvania made unusual efforts to relieve the 
sufierings of the army. The Legislature voted liberal 
appropriations of money to sustain the credit of 
Congress, and purchased provisions and took all other 
necessary steps to heal up the difficulties. They 
adjourned from the first of June to the first of Septem- 
ber, but before doing so invested the Executive Council 
with discretionary powers during the recess, even to 
the extent of declaring martial law throughout the 
State, if thought necessary. From this it seems extra- 
ordinary exertions were required to sustain the cause 
of the colonies. General Lacey was, during this trying 
period, an active meml)er of the Council, ;ind in his 



112 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LAOET. 

•correspondence speaks of the many and serions difficul- 
ties they had to contend with, and of the great exer- 
tions they made to meet them. All his letters, both 
private and pnV)lic, breathe the loftiest spirit of patriot- 
ism, and exhil)it a love of country that no adversity 
could shake. 

During these serious difficulties in the army, Wash- 
ington believing the enemy intended to strike another 
blow at Pennsylvania, immediately ordered out the 
militia of tlie State for its defense. When the or- 
der came fr((in (leueral Washington to call out the 
mditia. General Lacey was in Philadelphia attending 
the Council. lie was immediately dispatched into the 
<;ounties of Bucks and Berks to assemble the troops, 
being clothed v\dtli full powers for this purpose by the 
following letter from President Reed : 

"Philadelphia, August 1st, 1780. 

" Dear Sir : — You will please to proceed witli all de- 
spatch to J>ucks county, to forNvard the troops demanded 
by General AA^ashiugtoii from that county. In the 
equipments you will issue such orders of impress for 
wagons, horses, blankets, arms and accoutrements, as 
you shall judge necessary at this important crisis, and 
to whicth all officers, civil and military, will yield due 
obedience, as they will answer the contrary at their 
peril. You will tlien proceed to Berks county for the 
■same purpose, and with the like powers. After seeing 
the men in proper foi'wardness, you will then return to 
this city for further consultation on the measures neces- 
-sary for the troops, and in the meantime you will give 
-such directions to Colonel Fanner, the conimissary of 



LIFE AND CHABACTEK OP JOHN LACEY. 113 

the State, and to the deputy quartermaster, with re- 
spect to your stores and the transportation of your 
baggage, as you judge necessary and suitable to your 
rank. 

" I am, su*, your obedient, 

" and very humble servant, 
(Signed.) " Jos. Eeed, President, 

" The Hon. General Lacey." 

Pm-suant to the above order from President Peed, 
Oeneral Lacey proceeded into Bucks and Berks to 
assemble the militia, and used every necessary exertion 
to have them in the field early. The Council also 
clothed him with authority to impress horses for the 
main army, of which Washington stood in great need. 
After making all suitable arrangements for the calhng 
out and marching of the militia to the place of ren- 
dezvous, he proceeded to Trenton, New Jersey, in 
order to assume the command. He arrived there about 
the 1 3 th of the month, and selected a healthy spot for 
tL^ncampment, where they were to be drilled and 
chsciplined before joining the continental army under 
Washington. The troops came in slowly, and by the 
16th not more than three hundred had assembled, 
many of whom were without arms and blankets. No 
provision had been made for their support, and, in 
consequence thereof, there was much dissatisfaction 
among them ; and it was with much difliculty enough 
provisions could be procured at first to last them from 
day to day. In a few days a commissariat was estab- 
lished, when they were regularly furnished with good 
rations. President Reed, the commander-in-chief of 
15 



114 LIFE AND CHAKACTER OF JuHN LACEl, 

tlie militia of Pennsylvania, arrived in camp on tlie 
evening of tlie IGtli, and assnmed the command tlie 
next day. The troops continued to arrive from time 
to time, by squads and companies, and by the lOtli, as 
is shown by the field-return of that day, they immbered 
1045, rank and file, divided into four regiments. A 
severe course of discipline and drilling was introduced, 
and they made great improvement in the necessary 
duties of a soldier. By the 29 th two more regiments 
had come into camp, and the whole number, rank and 
file, was 1416 ; a very respectable force. The men 
were beginning to get a little uneasy, remaining so long 
at the same place, as is generally the case with raw 
troops, and it was contemplated to change the location 
of the camp to a point farther down the river, near 
Bordentown ; but before this change could be efltected, 
General Reed received orders from General Washing- 
ton to dismiss the brigade for tlie present, and allow 
the officers and men to return home. This sudden 
alteration in the views of the commander-in-chief was 
caused by the reception of the news that the second 
division of the French army, which was about to sail 
to our assistance, and in concert with whom the main 
army and mihtia were to act against the enemy in the 
contemplated attack upon New York, was blockaded 
in the harbor of Brest, and would not be able to reach 
America during the present campaign. Under the 
circumstances, Washington thought it most compatible 
with the public service to countermand his former or- 
der, and dismiss the militia, liecause their services were 
not required for any other purpose. 



LIFE AND CHARACTEK OF JOHN LACEY. 115 

When the militia returned home from Trenton 
(leneral Lacey went to Philadelphia and again took 
his seat at the Council board. He was much disap- 
pointed to be obliged to return from the field so soon, 
where he was anxious to distinguish himself, and where 
he believed he could be of more service to his country 
than in any other situation. He expressed his regrets 
in strong language, in a manly and patriotic letter to 
Colonel Wall, dated September 8 th, and in which he 
speaks in the highest terms of the discipline and good 
conduct of his troops. He remained in Philadelphia 
most of the fall and ensuing winter, in attendance upon 
the Council, during which time he was assiduous in 
the discharge of his duties. He kept up a brisk cor- 
respondence with the prominent men in the State, 
both giving and receiving much valuable information 
in regard to the condition of the affairs of the colonies. 

During the winter General Lacey was married to 
Miss Anastasia Reynolds, the youngest daughter of 
Colonel Thomas Reynolds, of New Mills, now Pem- 
berton, Burlington county. New Jersey. The mar- 
riage took place on the 18th day of January, 1781. 
Colonel Reynolds was also a patriot and hero of the 
Revolution, and rendered important service to his coun- 
try during the struggle for liberty. He was captured 
by the enemy at an early period during the war, and 
suffered imprisonment for a long time at New York, 
and was at length exchanged for Lieut. Col. Simcoe, 
a British partisan officer — the same who commanded 
part of the British troops at the battle of the Billet. 
He passed some time at New IMills, after his marriage, 



116 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 

and early in the spring returned to Philadelphia. In 
the latter part of September (1781) the British army, 
in garrison at New York, made some demonstrations 
against Pennsylvania, and in consequence thereof, tlie 
militia of the State were called out and encamped at 
Newtown, Bucks county, under the command of Gen- 
eral Lacey. They remained here until al)Out the 
middle of October, when it appearing the enemy did 
not intend to make any attack upon this State, they 
were discharged and retiu-ned to their homes, with the 
thanks of the Executive Council for the spirit with 
which they turned out. "Wliile the militia lay at New- 
town, the officers from Philadelphia county addressed 
a petition to General Lacey, requesting permission to 
go home and vote at the coming election. He granted 
their request, and allowed the men to march, without 
arms, under the command of two of their own officers, 
to their respective places of voting. Some dissatisfied 
and disaffected person sent the order he issued upon 
that occasion to the " Pennsylvania Packet," in wln'ch 
paper it Avas published, with some severe comments, 
and casting much censure upon him. The object was 
to endeavor to make it appear that he had used mili- 
tary force to influence the election, thus seeking to 
injure liis standing and reputation. A representation 
to the same effect was also made to the General ^\.s- 
sembly, whereupon General Lacey addressed a com- 
munication to the Legislature, giving a full history of 
the circumstances, and asking for an investigation. 
"Whether the General Assembly investigated the matter 
we are not able to say, but from the tacts stated in his 



LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN LACEY. 117 

communication, he was not liable to the least blame, 
but acted with his usual consistency and honor. The 
surrender of the British army, at Yorktown, which took 
place the 19th day of October, 1781, virtually put an 
end to the war, and after this event General Lacey's 
services were no longer required in the field. 

In the fall of '81, or the beginning of the year '82, 
General Lacey removed from Pennsylvania to the vil- 
lage of New Mills, New Jersey, where he entered 
largely into the iron business. Here he passed the 
remainder of his life. It is not to be supposed that a 
man who had taken such a prominent part in the 
struggle for liberty, would be overlooked by the people 
of his adopted State. He soon assumed a leading po- 
sition in that section of the country, and was called to 
fill several important and responsible public stations. 
He was elected to the Legislature, and was also a judge 
and justice of the county in which he lived. He lived 
in peace and contentment, an active and useful mem- 
ber of society, and died, much lamented, the 17th day 
of February, 1814, aged fifty-nine years, leaving a 
widow and four children. 

Thus we have narrated tlie leading facts in the life 
of General John Lacey, most of which have never 
before been given to the public. He lived and acted 
in the most trying period of our country's history, and, 
by his devotion to the great principles of liberty, well 
merits the appellation of a faithful patriot. ]\Iany 
became more distinguished by the force of circum- 
stances, but none were more devoted to the cause, 
periled their life with more cheerfulness, or were gov- 



118 LIFE AND CHAEACTER OF JOHN LACET. 

erned by a higher sense of duty. He was a patriot 
from principle, and espoused the canse of the colonies 
because it accorded with his conviction of right. He 
forsook family, friends, and personal interest, for what 
he believed to be his duty ; and, although his path was 
constantly beset with difficulties, he never once taltered. 
He was a man of far more than ordinary capacity, and 
the defects of early education overcome, by close ap- 
phcation to study during the hours of relaxation from 
labor and tlie leisure of the camp and covmcil. He 
presented an admirable combination of character — 
warm-hearted and amiable, but firm and unyielding in 
the discharge of duty. In all the relations of life he 
might have borne the motto of Chevalier Bayard upon 
his helmet, Avithout blushing — Sans j^eur, sans rejrroche. 
He was admirably adapted for a soldier, and possessed 
qualities that would have procured him a marshal's 
baton, if he had served under the great Napoleon. He 
was remarkably iine-looking, and is said to have made 
a very handsome appearance in uniform. He was 
courageous and determined in a high degree, and was 
noted as one of the severest disciplinarians in the ser- 
vice ; he was very active, and could endure more hard- 
ships than most men ; he was just in all things ; and, 
next to patriotism and honesty, justice seemed to be 
the star by which he was guided. 

Such, briefly, were the characteristics of Cleneral 
Lacey, the subject of this memoir. It requires neither 
brass nor marble to perpetuate his memory, for his 
good deeds will be remembered by his countrymen — a 
far more endurinij: monument. Peace to his aslies ! 



APPE^STDIX 



THE LACEY MONUMENT. 



A few years ago a project was put on foot by the inhabitants of 
Hatborough and vicinity to erect a monument to the memory of 
General Lacey. The ladies, old and young, were very active in 
the enterprise. By means of subscriptions, and a fair held by the 
ladies in a grove near the battle-field of the Crooked Billet, suf- 
ficient money was raised to cover the expense. It was erected in 
the summer of 18G1, on a lot purchased for the purpose, fronting 
the turnpike, at the upper end of the village. Arrangements were 
made to inaugurate the monument the 5th of December of that year. 
The ceremonies passed off with great eclat, in presence of an im- 
mense concourse of people which had assembled to witness them. 
An eloquent address, appropriate to the occasion, was delivered by 
the Reverend Jacob Belville, in the LoUer Academy, after the in- 
augural ceremonies had taken place at the foot of the monument. 
The following account of the afi'air is copied from the published 
proceedings, viz: — 

Thursday, the i5th of December, 18G1, was the day fixed upon 
for inaugurating the " Crooked Billet" Monument, at Hatborough, 
Montgomery county, in commemoration of those who tell at the 
battle of the Crooked Billet, May 1st, 1778, and who were cruelly 
massacred by the British troops and Tories, led on by the Tories 
of the Revolution, residing in the vicinity. The day was most 
auspicious, calm and beautiful, the sun rendering it mild by his 
warm rays. The inaugural ceremonies were conducted at the base 
of the monument, in the forenoon, and as soon as the column was 
capped, and the urn being raised to its position, Rev. Dr. Steele 
was called upon and addressed the Throne of Grace in a solemn 
16 



4 APPENDIX. 

prayer. Several patriotic and eloquent addresses were made by- 
gentlemen, who were present by invitation of the managers. The 
venerable and highly esteemed Dr. William Darlington, celebrated 
for his scientific, historical, and literary attainments, and who is 
now in his eightieth year, but whose intellect is as vigorous, active, 
and bright as in his younger days, was present, and his lively con- 
versation lent a charm and gave additional interest to the occasion. 
He was accompanied by two young ladies, direct descendants of 
General Lacey. The monument is beautiful, large and imposing, 
and stands upon a high bank overlooking the road. It consists of 
a plinth, five feet square and one foot thick, and a double base, all 
of Montgomery county marble ; upon this rests a die, enriched with 
a projecting moulding, on which is the Latin motto, "■ Defensores 
Lihertatis per Insidias Ahrupti f on the square below is en- 
graved the inscription ; above this is another die, bearing the coat 
of arms of the " Old Keystone State," in alto relievo ; this is exqui- 
sitely beautiful and an admirably executed piece of workmanship 
—the horses arc well proportioned and seem instinct with life, the 
head ot the eagle has a beautiful curve, and all the parts are well 
worked out; rising from this second die is a well proportioned 
shaft or obelisk, nine feet high, on which is sculptured full sized 
cross-swords and a shield, in bold relie'"; upon the obelisk is a neat 
capitol, and the whole is surmounted with an urn, from which 
issues a flame. It stands some twenty-four feet high, and is of the 
finest Italian marble from the base up. The monument will be sur- 
rounded by a wall and an iron railing. 

Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, a son-in-law of General 
Lacey, being present and called upon, addressed the audience 
briefly, thanking the people of the neighborhood for the patriotism 
they had shown by the erection of a beautiful monument, and said 
it was chiefly owing to the energy of the gallant Colonel of ihc lO-tth 
Ringgold Kegiment,* Pennsylvania Volunteers, and his friends, 
that this enterprise, which we had been called upon to-day to con- 
summate, had been commenced. 

General John Davis replied that he could not permit it to go forth, 
that his family were the only ones prominent in this movement, 
that where all had acted so nobly all should share the praise— that 

' Colojcl \V. W. TT. Divisi, who was the pi-ime mo\\;r in the entefpriseto raise 
this inomimt'iit. 



APPENDIX. 5 

to the ladies of Hatborough and vicinity they were principally in- 
debted ; it was to them, who had labored so assiduously and earn- 
estly in this good work, that the managers were enabled to complete 
the enterprise. 

The Rev. Mr. Tolaud, of Chestnut Hill, was present and added 
his testimony in favor of what had been done by the patriotic sons 
of patriotic sires, to perpetuate the memory of the gallant brave 
who had given up their lives on that sacred spot. He was glad to 
see before him the veterans of the war of 1812 ; Dr. Darlington, a 
major, and General John Davis, a captain of that war ; they were 
connecting links that bind the past with the present, that unite the 
patriotism of 1812 and 18G1, the defenders of liberty against foreign 
aggression, and the protectors of that liberty against a wicked and 
causeless rebellion. The olden scenes of ITTG were being enacted 
over again by those brave spirhs who have obeyed their country's 
call and are now at the seat of war. Those who had professed to 
be our brethren were now in open rebellion against us, and attempt- 
ing to overthrow the Constitution and the Government. 

Eev. 3Ir. Hand was also glad to add his testimony to what had 
already been said. He congratulated the community upon what 
had been accomplished. This was a fitting and beautiful testi- 
monial to the brave men, who in the dark days of the Revolution 
had risked their all, and some had even given up their lives upon 
that field to secure our liberties. The events of this day were en- 
couraging to those who were now in the service of their country. 
They had gone forth upon a sense of duty to crush this spirit of 
rebellion, and a grateful people would reward them. Those who 
fell upon this spot little thought they would have their names handed 
down to posterity, and their deeds live in imperishable marble ; 
over eighty years have passed away and they are not forgotten. 



6 APPENDIX. 

rNHCEIPTION ON THE MON JMENT. 



Defensor es Libertatis per Insidias Abrnpti. 

[The Defenders of Liberty slain by surprise.] 

[on tub west feont.] 

CROOKED BILLET BATTLE, MAY 1, 1778. 

Genei^l John Lacey, 

commanding tbe American patriots wlio were here engaged in 

contiict 

FOR INDEPEiv'DENCE. 



[south side.] 

The Patriots of 177G 

ACHIEVED OUR INDEPENDENCE. 

Their Successors 

ESTABLISHED IT IN 1812. 

We are now struggling 

FOR ITS PERPETUATION IN 1861. 

*' The Union must and shall he Preserved." 

[EAST SIDE.] 
A GRATEFCL TRIBUTE 

by the 

HATBOROUGH MONUMENT ASSOCIATION, 

chartered and erected 

A. D. 1861. 

[noetu side.] 

IN MEMORY OF PATRIOTIC 

John Downey, 

And others who were cruelly slain on this ground, in the struggle for 
AMERICAN LIBERTY. 



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